Liebe zu Schützen: Four Shadows Fall
by soji
Summary: Taking place after episode 25, our four guys wander back to the flowershop to begin again. And while everyone believes that ESSET has sunk into the ocean, the true leader is at work. What happens when assassins stop saying no to what they want? REVIEW!
1. Prologue

(Originally Darkness isn't Always Evil Published September 18, 2005)

**Author's Note**: I know no one reads these things, however... I don't own Weiss Kreuz, but I do own the writing and what the characters have become for me.  
Hiya, I'm Aki and I'm a senior at Temple University majoring in Japanese. I started this story/fanfic/whateveryouwanttocallit in 2005. YES I'm not joking. Go look at the original if you don't believe me. So yeah... the writing is going to SUCK in the beginning and get amazing in the later chapters so.. just keep reading. And REVIEW! Credit goes to Andrea as well for...everything. 3

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**Prologue:**

Welcome to the world where only the dead survive. In this world only shadows rain blood from black skies-only killers are left to rid the world of an evil none can even name. Falling with the ground giving out, there became no more purpose. When you begin to wonder if it really was worth the effort to struggle to the surface only to sink once again, that's when you realize… you're drowning.

Aya gasped, welcoming the salt water to invade his lungs. Choking out, he felt himself slowly suffocating as he began to rapidly sink to the bottom. Was death threatening him-was this what all his victims felt when they were overcome by this darkness? He tried to spit out the water only to pull in another breath of it… the world was ending. He struggled mindlessly to reach what seemed up, but he was only going further down.

How could Crawford not have seen this! Ken's mind blared out at the wavering sky covered in water. He pushed himself up to the surface gasping for a long-held breath. For once he felt thankful for the air, yet it was so cold. He looked around, seeing how far away he was from the shore. There was no sign of anyone. Fear overcame him. Just...where was everyone? The last thing he thought was what ever happened to Schwarz, when suddenly he felt a hand grab his foot. He kicked away violently, but ended up sinking beneath the surface anyway. Eyes snapped open only to be burned and clouded by the salt. He kicked furiously at the one baring the hand until finally he landed one.

Omi doggy-paddled to the surface, struggling to keep his head up. _Treading water my butt; it only tired you out more._Omi thought to himself as he tried to stay afloat. It wasn't working. He was only sinking… the pain dragging him to the bottom.

Wave after wave slammed against Yohji, knocking him under and under again. He struggled to get what air he deserved before he was thrust under again. Exhaustion over took him. He knew Farferello was dead, he saw Ken's claw get a clear shot at his neck, with all the blood spraying everywhere and everything. Yohji was strangling Schuldig at the time, he hoped the German never breathed again. He felt the memories slowly overtake his mind before the thrashing waves did.

The walls had been caving in around them, various pieces of stone falling from the ceiling. Yohji sparred a glance to see Manx escaping with the two girls. Good, at least they were safe. That seemed to be the one thing that mattered at the moment, until the topic of their own lives came up once more. Schwarz was battering the hell out of them, but Ken had Farferello down and out, and Yohji was working on painfully suffocating the mind reader in mind-blowing rage.

Omi stood defiantly against the one he had always fought: Nagi. This would surely end their feud and Nagi would torment him no longer. The pain in his back resided, leaving him in a desperate need to survive. His eyes focused onto Ken, who dove at Farferello's neck, slicing four holes into the Irishman's flesh.

"This is for Kase!" He yelled, his blade draining away Farferello's blood. Yohji was pulling at his last strings, strangling the struggling Schuldig still. That left Nagi and Crawford, Omi prepared to attack, darts flying through the air towards the enemy.

"You always look as if you are trying to save the world from the edge of a cliff. Why do you fight? The people you are trying to save aren't worth it; one little push from us and they reveal their true nature, spreading the violence and killing. Why risk your own life to protect people like that?" Crawford's voice seemed to hover in the silence, trying to distract them from the goal.

"There is still hope." Came the quiet response from Aya, as if he was convincing everyone around him as well as himself.

"Oh? And what kind of hope is that?" Crawford asked with a flash of his glasses.

"Love for the people around us-for those who are special to us. We will always fight to protect that love."

"How sweet." Crawford commented again...those annoying comments.

"It ends here. I won't let you create any more people like us who lose the ones they love!" Yohji added as he pulled on his wires only tighter.

"I will avenge you Ouka!" Omi stammered, proceeding to fight the Telekinetic.

"Even if you kill us now, it doesn't mean you have quenched the fires of evil. What you are fighting for is totally useless." Crawford began again, an evil look flashing in his foreign eyes.

"It isn't useless. AS LONG AS THERE IS STILL LOVE IN THE WORLD WE WILL PROTECT IT!" Aya's voice faded into the chaos as the ground gave out beneath them. Echoing, the word remained in everyone's minds-protect, to protect... There became no more purpose, but to survive, to be able to live, to protect again, and to enjoy life for just another moment. They were all sick of suffering, sick of the shadows. _I want to be buried someplace sunny, and then there won't be so many shadows. And please don't let the tombstone be covered in all the blood I am covered in now._Now… Aya drifted back from the past, and found himself slowly floating to the sky, his mind churning towards the darkness he was sick of-the black he was trying so hard to avoid.

Eventually Omi washed up on the shore, laying there, drifting in and out of what he would want to call sleep, but was really unconsciousness. And before he knew it, he was taken by the same darkness.

Yohji gave up with the waves that only seemed to push him farther from the shore, and as he floated in, emerald eyes snapped opened to feel his feet dragging along the sand. The bottom! Yohji crawled the rest of the way out and his eyes caught sight of the younger blonde. Yohji was at Omi's side in seconds.

Ken was nowhere to be able to find himself. He was attempting to swim, but his head kept fading out, making him dizzy. He continued to discover that he was barely above the surface, just floating there...like a human buoy. He kept losing the little consciousness he had, but not this time; he was too close. In a matter of moments, Ken felt the slightest brush of sand and let himself wash up onto that wonderful shore.

Darkness loomed over the playboy, moonlight piercing through the tormenting cover of clouds. The sun sunk beneath that endless horizon and all light disappeared with his remaining hope. In that time, Yohji still hadn't gotten Omi to open his eyes or even move. There was no longer a point to bring out the words Yohji wanted to spill out of himself. His voice shook as he struggled to rouse the youngest member of Weiß. So far, he was unsuccessful and there was just no way in _hell _he was going to do CPR on the boy...(especially since he was still breathing and all that jazz).

Shaking him some more, finally the playboy got some sort of a reaction out of him. Omi coughed, spitting out the water lodged in his lungs. He gasped for breath and bright cerulean eyes glimmered in the streetlights at the worried, jade stare he received from Yohji.

"Yohji-kun!" Omi cried and lunged at the dripping wet man, a grin plastered onto his face. The world seemed to turn a whole shade lighter.

"Omi…" Yohji's voice was soft and calmed suddenly, a relieved look now dancing over his exhausted features, "Your back… I saw Nagi slam you into that wall; how is it?" Yohji asked still a bit worried that Omi would suddenly drop dead.

"Oh…it's not…that bad, really," Omi said quietly. To Yohji, though, he wasn't that convincing and in his look he let Omi know that he knew better. Omi countered quickly, "Ken got Farferello." Changing the subject: always a lifesaver.

"I saw." He couldn't care less when he knew the rest of their teammates were out there in that darkness somewhere. "Hey, where_ is_Ken?" Yohji looked around, actually expecting to see the brunet, but instead he just saw a pitch-black beach and silence. "Lets go look. Can you stand?" Yohji asked with innocence touching his voice.

Omi glared at him in return, but it was a playful glare; nothing like Aya's. "Of course I can stand!" Omi jumped to his feet and began speed walking down the shore to prove it to the older...more _mature_one. Yeah right. He ignored the minor protests of his bruised and tortured body. Yohji rose to his feet and followed after Omi, another relieved look in his green eyes. Since when did he care what happened to his teammates?

Blue-green eyes opened to dark, blinking a few times, and focusing on blurry black...no sort of vision was coming to him. Panic streamed through his battered body until he realized, faintly that through the clouds small flashes of stars could be seen. A sigh of relief, and he rolled a little bit to sit up very slowly. Unsuccessful. He failed, mind reeling in shock. The soccer fanatic shut his eyes suddenly and dropped back down into his sprawled out position on the sand.

Yohji raced after Omi's gentle footsteps in the sand and caught up in seconds, speeding ahead of him a bit. He looked back with a crooked grin on his face.  
"Eat my du—" Yohji tripped and skidded face first into the sand. "—ust!"

"Yohji! Yohji, are you okay!" Omi called after him blindly and tripped over the same thing as Yohji and fell forward, catching himself with his hands. No way in hell he was going to get the same mouthful of sand that Yohji was now spitting out. The salt water was enough, but all that crunchy sand, Omi cringed.

"I'm fine. Just tripped over a log."

"What the hell? Don't you dare call me a log!" That angry voice… Yohji knew that voice from somewhere... "Don't be so stupid, you idiot, it's me!" Ken's eyes narrowed in the night even though neither of them could see it.

"Kenken!" Omi grinned and grabbed at the soccer player, seeming to pull him up a bit.

"I have a hell of a headache mind not yelling in my ear?" Ken murmured lightly, as to not upset Omi too much.

"Oh I'm sorry…" Omi said softly, his eyes still sparkling. "I'm glad you're okay."

"I'm glad you both survived that hell of an ocean." Ken glared at the black sea that mixed into the sky, it was impossible to tell them apart just as hard it was to see his teammates before him. No wonder Omi hadn't seen him. And Yohji just flat-out wasn't paying attention. Typical.

"Where's Aya?" Yohji asked an edge to his voice as if he expected someone ought to know.

"Last time I saw him, he and Crawford were covered by the ceiling," Ken said blankly.

"Nah." Yohji's voice held a hint of worry. "We'll find him."

"This is Aya we're talking about," Omi reminded them as if they hadn't guessed already, "the ceiling would be the one running away." Aya was their leader, and without him it was a bit hard to follow.

Ken was just about to throw in the towel before he realized how much they really needed to find their human ice cube. Without Aya, what were they going to do, go back to Koneko no Sume Ie and wait for him? It seemed more of a waste of time than this was; he might as well just wait it out. It was hopeless, and it was so dark he could barely see his own hands in front of his face...if he bothered to look. Well, there was Omi, frantically looking for Aya all around the beach. The soccer fanatic skimmed over the cool sand and came up with nothing.

To Omi, Aya was his friend-like a part of his family. What the rest of Weiß had a hard time understanding was that Aya defined the word withdrawn, so how was it possible to even hold a decent conversation with the guy let alone befriend him? It was something Ken and Yohji both couldn't comprehend. Omi knew though that Ken and Yohji just didn't realize how much they had really come to respect Aya, and not only for his leadership.

Yohji was about ready to start running in circles and screaming out the stubborn redhead's name, he was so frustrated. Why couldn't Aya have just washed ashore closer to the rest of them? It annoyed Yohji beyond belief, but it wasn't just because they were missing a member, he was missing Aya...and Aya was never missing.

A cold wind blew in around a tattered body, soaking in more seawater as another wave seeped up and brushed against worn skin. Aya was shivering when the wind hit him and it felt as if it was another blow to his already disturbed remains. His thoughts were slow, focusing on the pile up of questions haunting his mind in waterlogged amnesia. He laid there for moments, surrounded in a haze of utter confusion-dazed before the past came crashing down on him like that moment the ceiling fell. Aya hadn't bothered to stop and think how he made it through, he lived and that was all. All he had to do now was to make sure that the rest of his team weren't still sinking at the bottom of the ocean somewhere. To do that, Aya had to open his eyes. Without doing that, all he knew was that he was lying on his back on the beach still.

Endless amounts of time passed by until Ken finally sunk down into the sand with a heavy sigh. Even though darkened by the night, usual teal eyes were now tainted with the exhaustion that suddenly fell over him. Ken sat cross-legged in the sand, staring at it and wishing he had some sort of flashlight.

Yohji had given up on his relentless search for Aya and began walking towards where he thought the road would be, green eyes searching the darkness for headlights… anything. He sighed, and dragging his failing feet across the drained sand, he stumbled once more over what he would call a log.

"Hey!" Ken's eyes attempted to cut through the darkness.

"Why do you always seem to be in the way, Ken?" Yohji smiled dully and sunk down next to the faint outline of the ex-goalie.

"Beats me."

"I'm beat to all hell," Yohji said lamely.

Omi, being the smart one of the three, had better luck. Upon finding washed up sunglasses, he also found a set of footprints leading in the direction of the road. His waterproof cellphone proved to be waterproof and also served to light the way where the streetlights didn't reach. As he continued going on down the long beach a while longer, Omi began to grow further and further away from the highway. His attention drew quickly threw away that fact, as he seemed to come across what appeared to be someone lying in the sand. It had to be Aya. Omi was positive as he sped up towards the figure.

Violet eyes slid open slightly to focus on another world dripping in shadows that only brought more flashes of pain into his mind. Long red streaks coated his vision in blood that he soon recognized as his own hair. It matted to his forehead, soaked in the seawater that continued to claw at him. He would have brushed the strands aside if he had had enough energy to try. The world was a blurry reflection of his own conflicting thoughts-a black sky staring back at him, spinning around him, and only threatening to send him into a deeper darkness if that were even possible. From the faint look of things, Aya saw that it had to be well into the night, judging by the stars and the fact that the moon has sunken in the sky...or maybe it was a new moon. Aya didn't know, but he couldn't stop his mind from analyzing it. He shut his eyes again, preparing himself for the attempt to pull himself up.

Eventually Aya forced his body to obey him and pulled himself into a sitting position. In a matter of moments, he felt the world spin so rapidly he could barely keep up with it. The next thing he knew was he was racked with coughing fits. He began spitting out large amounts of saltwater, the taste stinging his mouth and making him gag. It was the worst feeling in the world until finally he realized it was all the saltwater he had been inhaling while drowning.

"You're awake?" Manx looked confused, her eyes watching Aya's sister's every move.

"I— What has been— What happened?" Ayachan stared ahead, her eyes scanning over the glowing ocean as the dawn came. "Who are you?"

This time, Sakura spoke. "I'm a friend of your brother's. I'll tell you everything that happened while you slept..." The girl smiled and held out her hand to Aya-chan. "About Aya and everyone else."

"Aya? But that's me."

"Yes, it's also the name of someone who lived on while you slept." Sakura gave a slight smile as the sun rose about the water's surface, sending light all around them. There was silence for a while as Aya-chan's thoughts settled and she finally realized what Sakura was actually saying.

"Ran?" Her eyes shimmered in the sunlight, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. Why did it seem as if she hadn't seen him in such a long time? She sighed, trying to calm herself. The last time she saw him was—was when… their parents— …Aya-chan shut her eyes tightly and her hands went up to her head. No… when her parents were killed and their house exploded. Why, why did it take her such a long time to remember something like that? "Ran, where's Ran?"

"Aya! Aya!" Omi rushed to the redhead's side, flashing the rays of the cellphone into the dull icy eyes of his leader. It's always darkest before the dawn. As the sun began to rise, Omi no longer needed the cellphone and shoved it into his wet pocket. He bent down to Aya and placed his hands reassuringly on the man's shoulders. "Are… are you okay?"

"Hn." Aya blinked and looked up almost as if he had just realized Omi was there.

"Aya?"

"What?" Aya stared at Omi, a question entering his eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"I— …I don't know." Aya took a deep breath and found that it just took all he had to merely sit up and breathe. Omi took in the sight of Aya's struggling into consideration as the young blonde began to scan over Aya's body with his eyes.

"You…you're bleeding, it looks like," Omi said carefully and stood up. "I shouldn't leave you alone, but wait here." With that, Omi took off across the sand, "YOHJI! KEN! YOHJI! KEENNN!" Omi scanned the whole beach, his eyes searching everywhere until finally he spotted the two perched up on top of a few jagged rocks below the road curve.

"Omi?" Ken squinted in the bright, too early sunlight. Yohji just sighed in frustration and covered his eyes with his hand, looking as if he were saluting the younger member of Weiß...like he would ever do that. He gave his where-are-my-sunglasses-when-I-need-them-the-most look and sighed again, hopping off the rock to walk the rest of the distance to Omi with Ken in tow.

"What is it? Find anything?" Yohji eyed Omi suspiciously. "It sure as hell took you long enough." Yohji was rewarded when a pair of actually not too badly scratched sunglasses flew at him. They practically hit him in the head if it weren't for his extremely fast and manly reflexes. "Jeez, what are you trying to do, kill me?"

"I… tried," Omi smiled, out of breath. "Aya… I found… him… he's…" Omi pointed in the direction he came. "Come…on let's go!" He dashed away again. Ken chased after him at an extreme speed. What was that kid on...!

"Hey you sure you should be running like that, Omi?" Ken used his soccer legs and left the too-sexy-to-run-after-them-Yohj in the dust behind him. But Yohji grinned and started racing after them anyway because he cared enough.

"Are you sure you should? You're the one who got your head slammed into a wall."

"You got _yourself_slammed into a wall," Ken countered, a small smile on his lips. At least they weren't too beat to argue up their usual storm.

"But it wasn't my head."

"Oh come on children, calm yourselves. We still have to save our wonderful leader," Yohji purred, his eyes sparkling sarcastically. He received two very intense glares from the so-called children. Oh he was so dead when they got back.

The world was a different place on the outskirts of reality. Voices faded into the wind, caught in the churning currents. The redhead sighed, trying to calm his racing heart. The words that were being spoken around him only made him feel like he was still under water. He coughed some more and opened his eyes.

"Aya?" Omi looked down at their leader, worry tainting his bright eyes. A glaze covered over those usually sharp icy blue eyes, and it scared Omi. Ken looked surprised as well, trading looks with Yohji. It seemed that Aya was bleeding a lot, since the salt water still hadn't stopped the flow. Omi shouldn't have left.

"What should we do?"

Aya blinked, forcing himself to sit up once again. It was then that he realized that he had somehow lost consciousness while Omi had left. Everything was just a blur, making the pain torrenting through his body only feel like a slight throb. That was until Omi...

The boy had pulled Aya's long trench coat away from him slightly, checking for the source of the blood. Aya withdrew harshly, wincing. His eyes narrowed to slits, showing nothing more than his usual fierce glare.

"I'm fine." Aya spat.

"Sure doesn't seem like it."

"Just leave him alone, Omi," Ken stated.

"Are you sure?" Omi turned to look at him.

"I'm fine."

"He's too stubborn; just let him be. Let's just see if he'll make it to the car," Yohji sighed in annoyance.

"Don't be so harsh." Omi glared in the playboy's direction and rose to his feet.

"We should go as soon as possible," Ken suggested.

"We don't know where Schwarz could be hiding," Yohji said.

"I doubt they would attack us now," Omi spoke up and stepped away from Aya.

It took enough to sit up and stay there without faltering. Aya prepared himself for the worst and slowly began to rise to his unsteady feet. Instantly, the world sank into darkness and spun around in what didn't even seem like circles. Aya opened his eyes to find himself half on the ground and half on top of Yohji.

The older man stared into those unfocused eyes as they stared back into his. It was scary, seeing Aya so unsteady. His façade melted into the seawater as it continued to lap up against them. It was all just a nightmare, a continuously painful nightmare. Just a small taste of hell shown through those clouded violet eyes.

"Aya? Aya are you okay?" Now Omi was leaning over, with Ken looking over the hacker's shoulder.

"I just got dizzy," Aya said in such a soft voice it made Yohji want to hit him. The leader of Weiß seemed so delicate and fragile at that moment it just wasn't fucking right.

"Sure you did. We're going up now." Yohji smiled and grabbed the redhead under the arms and pulled him up with him. This time Aya seemed to be able to place his feet on solid ground and only leaned against Yohji a little. It drove him crazy, needing others help just to walk. It was ridiculous.

"Your brother, he's—" Sakura began before she cut herself off. Was Aya really dead? Could they all just die like that-lost into that ocean of broken hopes and dreams? And could that just be the end of it, the end of everything?

"Would you like a ride somewhere?" Manx looked at the two girls, a smile sparkling in her green eyes.

"Could you… could you drive us to the flower shop?" Sakura asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Is that really where you want to go?"

"Yes, they'll go back there." Sakura said mostly to convince herself.

"Flower shop?" Aya-chan watched the two of them as if they were talking about something so out of her league.

"Ay—Ran and his friends, they…are florists," Sakura smiled.

Aya-chan clapped her hands together and a bright smiled covered her face. "Oh really?"

"Birman, take us to the Koneko no Sume Ie, please," Manx said from her seat in the back. Then the redhead slipped out and went around the car to the passenger seat. "Come on, we have to leave," Manx said sternly.

"Where are we?" Ken seemed to mutter for the hundredth time.

"I told you just keep walking… the car should be parked somewhere around here…" Omi trailed off, barely able to convince himself this time. His feet dragged behind him in exhaustion.

It had taken a while to climb the huge cliff that reached the beach and it took everything Aya had to stand. Yohji practically carried the heavy bastard. Their leader was much heavier than he looked. Soon after that, they had wandered around for hours according to Yohji's watch. It became well into the morning: almost six, and people were beginning to stir on the sidewalks and in their houses. It was becoming harder and harder to blend in, especially with a slight blood trail that occasionally dripped from them. It was only a matter of time before their leader burned out of what little energy he had.

Omi looked back to see the figures of Yohji and Aya a bit too far off from them. He almost began walking backwards before Ken spoke up. "Maybe we should wait for them…"

"I didn't even notice how far they had gotten from us, did you?"

"Not really." Ken exhaled and leaned against the side of a building. They were a pitiful sight, but luckily there was rarely anyone out on the street.

"Hey guys thanks for waiting for us at the last minute!" Yohji looked from Omi to Ken who, both in their own way, had worried expressions on their faces. "What?"

"Aya, is he alright?" Omi ventured to ask, moving closer to the slumped red head that was draped over Yohji's shoulder.

"He went out of it a little way back," Yohji murmured.

Aya lifted his head up slightly, hearing his name and wishing he hadn't. His eyes focused blankly on the two of them then suddenly the sharp violet looked past them.

"You know, the car's right there," Yohji said, following Aya's eyes. They had taken both cars just in case: one was Aya's white Porsche and the other was Yohji's Seven: the womanizer mobile. He stared at it before them, glimmering a green that matched his eyes. Yohji fished in his pocket as he always did for the keys, and drew out his hand keyless. Panic overwhelmed him. They were still so far away from the flower shop and they would barely even be able to drive. Yohji almost dropped to his knees in defeat...if Aya wasn't giving him all his weight.

"You lost the keys." Ken stated plainly, his words coated in disgust and anger. Omi just moaned. What the hell could they do!

"Aya," Ken demanded suddenly, moving closer to him. Yohji involuntarily stepped back.

"What w-why?" He had never seen Ken act so...so authoritative...

"He probably didn't lose _his_keys."

"It wasn't my fault. I was practically drowned in the ocean and you expect that my keys wouldn't fall out of my pocket?"

"Maybe his didn't. Aya is more responsible." Ken replied.

Yohji's car was indeed parked closer to where their mission had taken place, but Aya was much more cautious; his car was much farther away and he had made Ken walk with the silent and brooding redhead all the way to the Temple place. Aya eyes slipped opened once again, hearing the conversation. He barely realized that he had closed them again. The sight of the car was so fulfilling so _now_what did they want? Aya sent Ken a death glare.

"Aya, do you have your keys?" Ken asked suddenly, shaking him, which in turn shook Yohji and aggravated him further.

"Ken stop shaking him, can't you see he's going to kill you?"

Aya groaned and shut his eyes slightly. It was obvious any slight movement caused him considerable amounts of pain. "Left pocket," he forced out, voice raspy and quivering.

"Let's hope—" Ken pulled at the zipper of Aya's trench coat that was already unbuckled slightly from Omi's attempts. Ken slipped his hand into the pocket and instantly he felt the keys. He pulled them away from the leather still dripping wet. A bright smile filled his face as if he had just won a soccer game. He jingled them in front of everyone and then threw them up into the air like confetti. Catching them, he began walking off in a random direction, but he seemed to know where he was going.

"Suhweeeet!" Yohji looked pretty happy too, but the lump against his shoulder had no response, it kind of just hung there like a discarded coat that dragged along the ground until it was beat up and frayed.

"Nice going Kenkun!" Omi grinned and headed after him followed by Yohji and the practically unconscious Aya.

More time past and it seemed like forever, but according to Yohji, it was only seven o'clock. After more corners and alleyways and blocks, they seemed to find the bright white car parked somewhere inconspicuously in the shadows. Yohji hoped in the driver's seat after laying Aya down in the back. Omi got in the back with Aya, carefully positioning himself at Aya's head. As soon as Ken hit the passenger seat, he was asleep. Not long after, Omi too fell asleep against the annoyingly vibrating window.

Yohji was alone, speeding into the distance, testing out Aya's fancy car. Then he realized that Aya had willingly given them his keys when normally he would have totally objected to it. That was weird, Aya must have been even worse than he appeared. The tall blonde sighed and drove on, eventually reaching the flower shop: their home, which now seemed like heaven. He pulled up against the curb and was about to wake up everyone else, when out of the corner of his eye he saw…

"Yohji!" Sakura raced across the pavement, her hair flailing out in the brilliant sunlight behind her. Her eyes glinted, shining in tears, which soon began to fall as she came to a stop in front of Yohji and Aya's car. Yohji's head lifted, his sunglassed eyes positioned on Sakura. He pushed his glasses down his nose further and looked at her over the rim.

"Why Sakura I didn't think you would wait for us here." Yohji's voice was a bit hoarse and cluttered with seawater. He looked overly surprised almost as if he didn't want her there. They had completed the mission and that was it. Now he had to accomplish getting the other members of Weiß into the flower shop without revealing too much more to Sakura. Who knew what too much information would do to her?

The sudden cease of motion and the voices drew Omi from the darkness of sleep. His eyes slid open and instantly he pulled himself away from the window. The car windows were all clouded from the heat inside and the cold pressing against them from outside. Omi unclipped his seatbelt and slipped out the door. His eyes focused blankly on Yohji and Sakura. He withdrew in fear, almost ducking behind the car before he remembered that Sakura did know about their missions now. He sighed, calming himself and walked around the car with a dazzling Omi smile on his lips. "Sakura!"

"Omi-kun!" Sakura turned from Yohji and took a look at Omi. The youngest member of Weiß seemed to lean out to one side as if his right side was damaged and causing him pain. His eyes seemed a bit fogged over and there were bruises clearly all over him, some even beginning to blacken. His hair was a mess, the seawater appearing to be the cause of it looking so stiff and tangled. Yohji's hair was much worse though. His was pulled back out of his face so that the tall blonde would even be able to see where he was going. Yohji seemed a bit slumped over than usual and his very common seducing smile had faded.

"Omi?" Yohji looked over tiredly at the chibi who seemed much more awake than he had been ever since they found themselves on the shore.

"Where's Aya?" Sakura asked, adding quickly, "and Ken?"

"Ken is in the car and—" Omi was rudely cut off.

"And Aya is too." Yohji finished for him.

"Oh… is everyone alright?" Sakura inquired softly.

"We're fine." Ken had slipped out of the plush front seat and leaned against the car facing them. He shut the car door with a slam and looked them all over with accusing eyes. Why was Sakura here? He shook flattened brown hair out of his unfocused blue-green eyes and pushed off from the car. At a bit of a stumble, he moved closer to them.

One after the other had emerged from the car, now it was Aya's turn. He was awake and had been ever since Yohji had stopped the car. His glazed icy eyes attempted to focus correctly on the fogged over glass of the car windows. He was in his car, he suddenly noticed. He had actually let Yohji drive it? That was a mistake and now… He looked under him at the soft gray seat that was now drenched in blood. Aya shut his eyes momentarily to gain control of himself. It was just blood, his blood; he saw it all the time. The color seemed to stain his memories as well as his hands, but why did it seem to frighten him now? It wasn't like it was going to stain the seats or anything...

Aya pushed himself up and managed to reach the door handle by his head. He rolled out and onto his unstable feet, and held the side of the car for balance. Omi saw him instantly and rushed over.

"Aya-kun are you okay?"

"Shit Aya you weren't supposed to get out of the car," Yohji mumbled, looking over at Ken.

"Come on, let's go inside. We're wasting time," Ken stated angrily.

"Where's Aya?" Aya murmured, losing his footing and practically falling. Luckily, Yohji caught him by the shoulders and pulled him back up.

"Really Aya…" Yohji glared at him.

Little did Weiß know, but Aya-chan had been watching from inside the flower shop as the door crowded around by all sorts of different flowers. The second she saw Ran, she dashed out as fast as her legs would carry her. Aya-chan had silently observed Ran's friends as they talked with Sakura, but she hadn't seen her brother. She stayed there so she wouldn't feel so out of place with them. Although, she did notice that most of them seemed to be injured in some way... Had Ran made friends with troublemakers that roamed the streets looking for fights? She didn't wait to find out, but knew she had to. "Ran!" She ran towards them as fast as her legs would take her. She had to catch her breath before she spoke again. She smiled brightly and looked softly at her brother.

"…Aya…" He saw his sister, running-actually running towards him-images that only happened in his dreams. At first he thought he was only hallucinating, that he actually lost more blood than he had initially thought, but that was when he heard her voice. His eyes struggled to focus clearly on his sister. She was actually awake, standing right in front of him. He couldn't believe it, it could never happen. She was no longer lying immobile in a hospital bed; he was no longer looking into eyes that would never open. The world seemed to open up and become so much larger, his life was no longer reduced to watching his comatose sister. For a moment, there was no one else alive but him and his sister standing there watching each other as the years-the three long years seemed to stretch out further, separating Aya from his sister. Now there was so much more-so many words he wanted to say-so many things he wanted to tell her, but in the moments his violet eyes set down upon her, nothing came but the shock. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think.

Yohji, Ken, and Omi were just as surprised as Aya. They watched her in shock, their eyes wide. Aya-chan looked from her brother and to them with a sweet smile. How Aya had wanted to see that smile again on her empty sleeping face, but how could it be so filled up again…? How...was it possible...just like that?

"Who are you guys, are you friends of Ran's like Sakura-kun is?" She asked quietly. Yohji, Omi, and Ken exchanged looks since they really weren't accustomed to Aya's real name and it actually scared them...at little. Would Aya leave Weiß since he didn't need the money anymore for his sister's hospital bill? Were they even friends, not just killing partners? But they all just seemed more like…like family. Silence followed and Aya only stared at Aya-chan-just stared at her as if she were a miracle. And...she was. Aya-chan had actually come back to life when Aya was sure she would never open her eyes again. And here she was standing before him after years… years that he killed for her. How could he tell her-how could he explain it? Aya shut his eyes and before he even knew it the darkness took him away from his sister.

Aya went limp as his mind went black, but Yohji was still already holding him up and the extra weight came as nothing to the playboy. Yohji just gripped the redhead's shoulders tighter and leaned more against Aya's car. Omi shot Yohji a worried glance and motioned to the Koneko. They had to get Aya inside before more serious damage was occurred upon their suffering leader.

"Ran…" Why did she feel as if she hadn't seen him in so long? Why couldn't she remember anything after that car… the car that sped towards her and froze the world around her in a never-melting ice. The ice that had made Ran so powerless, powerless to prevent death, so powerless it created Aya who had the power to create death. And yet he still could never prevent it. He was a leader, a shadow that took out the evil that couldn't be brought to justice under the law. But Aya was Ran also; they were the same, mixed together to form a cold heartless killer and yet still a loving brother...and a friend.

His name was all Aya-chan could say as she watched her brother go limp in Yohji's arms. There was so much left unsaid it almost made her feel uncomfortable. So these people were his friends. It seemed they did take care of him, it didn't seem like they were yakuza or anything, but there was something... And she would learn while Aya was the one who slept.

_To be continued..._


	2. Koneko no Sume Ie

**Author's Note**: Hey again. Same drill as last time! I just want to introduce one thing: anything in these {...} are thoughts. Got it? Good. Review and I'll love you.

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**Chapter One**:

"I don't get up before 11," Yohji moaned through a muffling pillow. Despite his struggled efforts to stay in bed and sleep the _precious_ morning away, Omi just refused to deal with his antics today. Eventually, he knew he had to get up anyway. Life was life and without work, he really would be a good-for-nothing-playboy-whose-hair-was-too-long (as Ken called him). Ken had no right though because he himself was a soccer junkie. SO HAH. Yohji smirked, getting a weird look from his youngest teammate. Yohji looking amused in the morning? Apocalypse? Omi left after that, clearly terrified and looking somewhat fulfilled after seeing Yohji at least half out of bed. He shifted his weight from the warm and smooth and soft...comforter and onto the hard and cold and stupid floor where he then walked to his dresser. He stared blankly at his clothes for a minute before he realized that he had thrown his work clothes in the corner the other day. He trekked through the trash strewn all over the floor and uncovered the slightly wrinkled, but fairly clean clothes. Sometimes doing wash wasn't worth it if he just threw it on the floor, but whatever. He got dressed and moved down the many flights of stairs and into the crowd of rampaging fan girls. Mornings...were the worst…especially on school vacations.

"Coooome oooooooooooooooooooooooon, Michelle!" Nami smiled happily at her friend as she dragged her towards the flower shop. "We've got to find some flowers for your mom! You know how she likes them!" Nami bounced along, her currently purple hair back in a ponytail. She was wearing a long, blue floral summer dress and flip flops. She was in a pretty good mood, considering the day. But then again, when wasn't Nami in a good mood?

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." Michelle shrugged her shoulders and quickened her step to catch up to Nami's pace. Her black hair was up in a bun, with some flowers placed haphazardly in. She was in a similar sun dress to Nami's, except hers was a solid navy blue, which complemented her eyes completely. "Mom will understand if I'm late. Sheesh." Michelle rolled her eyes, but couldn't help smiling. Nami's cheerfulness was infectious, if not a tad bit annoying. Arm in arm with her best friend, she stepped into the bustling shop.

Ken was already down in the shop by the time Yohji reached the register. The ex-goalie was attempting to breach the crowd of fan girls in order to reach the cash register himself, but looked to be failing terribly. He saw Yohji somehow through the crowd and waved to him, trying to use sign language by flailing at the register. He mouthed the words "please" before he was sucked into the void of moving bodies once more.

Yohji held out his hands in question at first just to be an asshole and then laughed at his own cruelty. It didn't really matter either way; Ken would still try to kick his ass later. It was a good thing Aya was out of commission or they both would be...Oh shit.

"IF YOU'RE NOT BUYING ANYTHING THEN GET OUT!" A loud voice seemed to ring throughout the entire shop. A redhead burst through the doors and crossed his arms in defiance. Icy blue eyes fell upon a brunette lost within the crowd of silenced fan girls. He frowned when the soccer-player mouthed "thank you" at him. It was no surprise that neither Yohji nor Ken had it in them to yell at the fan girls—er—customers that were merely milling around pretending to be interested in purchasing some flowers. It was just so annoying! All the noise when he was trying to sleep on his ONLY day off. Especially after last night's mission briefing and staying up until the early hours of the morning going over the whole plan while _still_ recovering from nearly drowning in the ocean. Omi had it the worst though; he had gotten up earlier than Aya. Well, it didn't matter. They all had to deal with this life and these girls were NOT helping.

Nami stopped in her tracks when she heard the shout. She looked at the red-haired guy with a small 'oh!' and then looked backwards at Michelle.

"Wha—? Hey!" Michelle bumped right into Nami, completely distracted. She'd been too busy looking at the beautiful flowers to notice her friend had stopped moving. "Why'd you do that?" She muttered more to herself than Nami, finally registering the fact that a lot of the customers were quickly making their way towards the door. Michelle breathed a sigh of relief and tugged on Nami's arm. "Come on, let's look around."

"Hey there~" Yohji chimed to the beautiful purple-haired girl. "Is that your natural color?" He smiled softly, running a hand through his wavy hair. He blinked through calm emerald eyes and leaned closer to her. "It's gorgeous—reminds me of an iris. And what an iris means is 'trust'." He shifted his weight and moved back away from her slightly. Yohji whipped his hand towards her and in it was a blooming, glistening Iris that seemed to have just opened its petals this morning. "So _trust_ me on this one. I haven't seen you around before. What is your name?"

Nami snapped out of her somewhat blank stare at Michelle and turned her head to smile brilliantly at the guy who had spoken to her. "Hi! Hm?" She touched her hair, pulling a strand around so she could see it. "Oh. No. It's not. But... yeah. It's been this way awhile!" Nami shrugged her shoulders and gently took the iris from him. "Wow, this is so pretty!" She turned to Michelle. "Hey! You think your mom would like some of these irises?"

Michelle rolled her eyes and smiled faintly at Yohji. "Her name is Nami." She then turned at Nami. "Maybe, but I want to get her something really unique this year. Get some of those for yourself, eh?" Michelle chuckled to herself and moved away from Nami, knowing any second she would turn into the natural flirt that she was. {Just like Nami… she walks into a place and a guy immediately fawns over her} Michelle thought to herself.

Yohji was taken by surprise for a moment; usually his random musings failed miserably and he was shunned back to the register and called a pervert. He stared at the ground for a moment, recovered, and WAIT! Maybe...her natural hair color was blond! This may be easier then he initially thought. Instead of trying to pick her up (due to lack of time), maybe he could persuade her to a later date in which to 'go out' somewhere...flashy—his style. She seemed as if she would be the type of person who would certainly enjoy herself. HE WAS WORKING THOUGH. Focus Yohji, FOCUS! He threw on a struggled grin and turned to Michelle. "For your mother? Well, why not Cattleyas?" His grin faded to a small smile that, for a moment, seemed to reflect his soul. "They're my favorite..." He shook the memories away and tightened the hair tie in his hair to distract them. "But not so much; she's not around anymore..." With that, he slipped away from them, leaving pieces of his shattered past in common words that would never be understood.

Michelle noted Yohji's statement, but continued her search. She had a feeling that it would just, call out to her. She looked around the shop, her arms crossed in front of her. The tiny frown disappeared as her eyes roved over the man in an orange turtle neck standing in the doorway. {Hm. Weeeeell, maybe this flower shop isn't too bad} Michelle smiled and shook her head at her own silly thought and continued looking.

Nami looked down at the iris in her hand and at the guy who had given it to her. He looked sad all of a sudden. She moved her eyes from side to side, as if debating something in her mind. With a tiny nod and a smile she moved forward and tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me? I'd like some irises, please. And…" She bowed her head to look at the flower and then peeked up at him coyly with a tiny smile, "I never got _your_ name."

Yohji turned his head when he was tapped and instantly clamped his mouth shut. The other customers he had been speaking to smiled and moved away, leaving them alone…for once. When she spoke, he hardly could make out what she was saying, but somehow he got it. "Kudou, Kudou Yohji." He said with a flash of his girl-killer grin. He moved just a little closer to her and winked. "Nami, right? I really do love your hair. How about we get together sometime. I would really love that. But first, how many irises did you want?"

Nami responded with a grin of her own, stepping back one step. She waggled her eyebrows at him in a flirtatious manner, but continued speaking as if it hadn't happened. "Get together? Hm. I suppose that could be a good time. As for how many… what do you suggest, Yoohji?" She drew out his name a little bit. Man, she had missed flirting!

Hm this one was playing it tough. He let an excited grin escape him and break out onto the surface of his face. "Well, for a lovely lady as yourself, I would say a whole store of irises wouldn't compare to your beauty. Even that, though, would be...super expensive. Maybe just a bunch?" He opened his hands up. "About this much. About later..." He held up two fingers and winked yet again. "Would you be able to wait two days?"

Nami had the smart sense to look down and blush a little bit, trying very hard to contain her laughter. {Man, he just REEKS of charm. Definitely cute though.} She took a deep breath in an effort to compose herself and looked back up at him. "A bunch sounds lovely. I'll go tell my friend that I'm about finished." She turned to walk away, but paused and looked back over her shoulder. "The real question is… can you wait two days?" She smirked and sauntered away, swaying her hips the tiniest bit.

"Maybe!" Yohji called after her, grabbing up some irises and delicately arranging them. This time, he made them especially perfect-looking, wrapping them with clear purple plastic that collected some dew from the freshly-watered flowers. He walked up to the cash register and placed them on the table where they awaited her soft-looking hands.

The man standing in the doorway with the orange turtle neck continued to watch people with a frown, hoping more would file out…to no avail. He sighed and turned to go back upstairs to rest, but froze when a girl with black hair entered the line of his sight. For some reason... she was the only one in the shop that didn't seem very happy. It made him a little uneasy and kept him from moving for quite some time.

Michelle continued looking, heaving a frustrated sigh. She noticed another sales person, a brunette guy who seemed swarmed by young girls. With a chuckle, she shifted through them, not so politely shoving some out of the way. "Excuse me? I could use some help finding a specific flower." She stood firmly in front of the girls, blocking their way to the guy. He looked a bit frazzled really. Michelle couldn't help but chance a glance at the red-haired man who stood in the doorway watching her.

Ken was looking as if he really wanted to jump off a bridge. At least he would be away from the swarming girls all asking him for a certain type of flower that they knew nothing about. Life was hard. When a girl shoved her way in front of him, he was half-tempted to just take the chance and run away. "Ah, hold on! I'm doing five million things at once," He stammered. A thought suddenly dawned on him. "Wait, hey, some of you, see that redhead over there? His name's Aya. Go bother him. He works, here, as most of you know, and he can help you too." Since he's here...Ken could use him to his advantage. Ahhh...he was a dead man later. If the girls didn't kill him first.

Michelle sighed and noticed that many of the girls had stayed around the brunette, a few sharing scared looks as they looked at the redhead. With a shrug she shifted through the girls again and moved to stand in front of him. "Excuse me? Can you help me?"

Aya raised an eyebrow, shaking bangs from his eyes. "Don't tell me Ken put you up to this?" He asked quietly, glaring over at the soccer fanatic. This wasn't going to go over well. He hated when they tried to sick fan girls on him that he didn't even know. Usually it was Yohji tormenting him... He was struck suddenly by realization. Maybe the truth was that she really did need help. "Wait..." He murmured, a little apology in his voice. "I'm sorry, I thought-never mind-forget I said that. What can I help you with?"

Nami giggled the tiniest bit as she found Michelle in the crowd. She had just gone up to talk to a guy—a cute guy. Smiling a little bit, Nami amused herself looking at the other flowers in the shop. Maybe her friend would get a little lucky too.

Michelle raised an eyebrow back, but in curiosity, shrugging her shoulders when he refuted his previous comment. "I was wondering, well, hoping really… do you carry any lily-of-the-valley?" She smiled faintly, to seem polite, however there was a distance in her eyes—a desperation, almost. It was what she needed this year. She just felt it. She needed to get those flowers.

Aya looked slightly surprised. "Most places would never consider carrying it." He turned towards the storage and gave a little smile that didn't dare to reach his eyes. "I could be wrong, but I'm almost positive I kept some." He took a few steps towards it. "Follow me."

Michelle let out a tiny sigh of relief and followed him. "It would be lovely if you had some. It's just what I need."

He opened the heavy door and slipped into the pouring, humid sunlight. Glancing around a little, he finally located the shimmering, white flowers. He didn't hide the proud look that glazed over his violet eyes. "There they are. Uh, do you want the plant or would you like me to cut you some flowers?" Lucky for him, they were actually blooming. Yohji would have probably taken them out today if he had bothered to check to see what new flowers were blooming today. Ah, they were all falling drastically behind. All he wanted to do was sleep.

"Ummm..." She glanced up and down and side to side, biting the side of her lip. "For now, could you just cut me five flowers please? Would it be possible to come back for the plant at another time? I'm not entirely sure if I can use the whole plant just yet." She was trying her best to act cool about it, but she was terribly excited. A glimmer appeared in her eye as she looked at the tiny, white flowers. She murmured, "They're so beautiful…"

Aya couldn't help but look slightly amused by this girl. How should he describe it... she was different. A lot different. "Five? I can do that. I'll keep the plant here in case you come back. We'll take it out next week; try to be back by then," Aya stated a little blankly before grabbing a pair of scissors from a drawer. He began cutting in quick movements that only took a few seconds. He had it wrapped and even prettier than they were on the plant. He handed the bouquet to her and walked out, holding the door silently. "Take them to the register." It would be a good idea to escape now so no more girls came up to him asking for help.

She looked down at the flowers in her arms and smiled. These were right, she knew it the second he put them in her hand. The smile she felt on her lips was one that she did not use often: it was one of genuine pleasure and contentment. Michelle looked up, gracing him with the same smile. "Thank you so much for your help, Aya; it means a lot."

Aya grunted in response to her smile and trudged back up the stairs from whence he came.

Nami moved away from the flowers she had been looking at and went to the register. She leaned up against it and stood gazing at her irises. Yohji really had done a lovely job wrapping them. They looked picturesque. If only she had her camera...

"Hmmm fancy meeting you here," Yohji said in a silky voice, running a hand over the flowers. "Your total is 1600 yen. But for you, it's free." He gave a crooked grin as the ding of the register sounded when it opened. He fished in his pocket, dropped coins into it and closed it. He handed the flowers to her and gave one of the sweetest smiles he owned. "Come back soon, Nami."

"Thank you Yohji!" She smiled brilliantly at him, and turned to see Michelle coming towards her. "Look at these lovely flowers!"

Michelle turned away, coming up beside her friend. "Yeah, Nami. Those are nice." She gave her friend a different smile, one far more restrained, in a way. She turned towards Yohji. "How much for these, please?"

"Ah..." Yohji stared at them for a second. "What _are_ those?" He looked around and then finally pulled out a sheet, scanning through it. "Lilly of the valley, right? I could be wrong."

Michelle held back a tiny sigh, although she did manage to roll her eyes a little bit. {He works in a flower shop, for goodness sake!} She spoke patiently, "Yes. They're lily-of-the-valley. Your associate, Aya, helped me get them."

"Awesome. I was right~" He smiled a little and then typed a few buttons in. "Funny how _he_ just decides to sell them without telling anyone. Alright your total is 2300 yen. Damn they're expensive. Let's cut it a little shall we? For Nami's friend, your total will be 1500 yen. Better?" He adjusted his sunglasses on top of his head.

Michelle ignored Nami's giggle and pulled the money out of the bag that was slung over her shoulder. She placed it on the counter. "Thank you."

Nami grinned and hooked her arm with Michelle's, slipping a piece of paper into the man's pocket. She waved back at Yohji with her flowers as they left the store. "Good-bye Yoohji! See you in two days!" As soon as they were a far distance from the store, Nami began to gush to Michelle about Yohji.

"No problem." Yohji took the money and tossed it carelessly into the register, closing it. "Have a nice day, miss. Nami, two days it is! I will wait for you. " Score! Ken would be proud. Not really.

_To be continued..._


	3. A Date with Trouble

**Author's note: **Told you I'll be uploading fast. And like I said, this stuff starts off old. This chapter I believe was from around 2009 whereas the prologue was founded in 2005. However, expect greater things in the future. I have at least 10 chapters already written. Kufufu! You'll just have to wait and see.

I want to bring up something important related to languages. I'm fluent in Japanese so if I happen to use random phrases here and there, please take note that they are correct. I'm tolerant of mistakes in other author's stories, but in mine there will be none. Weiss Kreuz takes place in Tokyo, Japan thus, they speak Japanese. Since I'm introducing characters not of Japanese origin, there will be an introduction of other languages such as English. Now English when used will be in ALL CAPS like it usually is when written alongside Japanese. However, in Omi and Shayla's IMing below, it's already in bold for typing so I did not make it in caps. Please assume that that entire conversation is in English. Thanks! PM me for any questions. AND REVIEW!

{...} = thoughts

**Bold** = Typing

CAPS = English

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**Chapter Two**:

For the past two days, loud and rather obnoxious humming was heard throughout the shop. Many girls prodded Yohji for the details of his happiness, but he just winked at them. No one exactly knew why on earth Yohji could possibly be so happy. It was the day before Yohji's date when Manx came to the Koneko to deliver them with their first new mission since ESSET sunk into the depths of the ocean. Everyone seemed on edge as they faced the task of getting their asses back into the game. However, Ken and Omi were rather excited. It was all they talked about at dinner. Yohji wasn't so thrilled. This mass murderer had been going after every corrupt corporation head and destroying them. It was kind of one of those good evils just like Weiss. Yohji didn't understand what the difference was between the mass murderer, Kanon Matsumoto, and themselves. He guessed it was just Kritiker versus freelance. Either way, he didn't like it. Aya looked like he was treading on the side of a cliff. Yohji had no idea what was going through their leader's head, but he would bet that it had something to do with his sister Aya-chan who was constantly sleeping upstairs in his room. Aya hadn't gotten much sleep either over the past month; he watched his sister like he was thinking if he took his eyes off her she would slip back into the coma she was in for three years. Anyway, they all had to focus on this mission now; they sure as hell couldn't fuck up their first mission back. What would Kritiker think? When Manx left, Yohji had called Nami (after finding her number in the fat, ugly phone book) to figure out the details of their date. He was elated to find out that Nami was flexible enough to work with his hectic schedule. She was very understanding—so understanding that Yohji felt as if he was really taken by her. Not seriously though. He didn't want to think about that... Their date was in an hour and he looked worse than Aya who hadn't slept in a month. SHOWER TIME~

Nami was in a remarkably good mood. Her date with Yohji was in an hour and she couldn't have been more unprepared. She had gotten out of the shower, but was now dealing with the troubling matter of what to wear. Yohji had merely told her to dress nicely, not where they were going. "Grrrr..." she muttered to herself as she rummaged through her closet. "AH HA!" She grinned, pulling out the skirt she had been looking for. It was a knee-length, black, A-line skirt and one of her favorites. She also pulled out a pale blue blouse and a white lace camisole. She then dropped to her knees and searched until she found her silver heels. "Yes!" Feeling extremely pleased with herself, she got dressed and put her hair in a braid and put some small silver hoops in her ears. She then did a once-over in the mirror, touching up her make-up. "This is going to be great." Now all she had to do was wait.

"Omi! What's for dinner? Yohji's going out with that girl so I dunno what's going on," Ken called up the stairs where he suspected the youngest member of Weiss was.

"I don't know," Omi said as he emerged from his room and stared down at Ken. "Wasn't Aya supposed to make it? And don't you have soccer practice in an hour and a half?"

"Yeah, that's the problem. You know, maybe I'll just grab something on the way back or I'll heat up the leftovers later. Whatever, it doesn't matter."

"I was just about to make it. There should be enough time," came a low voice from behind Ken.

Ken spun around, a look of horror on his face. "A-Aya! I thought you were upstairs with Aya-chan?"

"She's sleeping."

"Oh...yeah…well, I thought- So you're starting dinner soon?"

"Yohji will regret missing it."

"I'm sure a lot of people would, Aya~ Everyone always says that your cooking is the best." Omi beamed, hopping down the steps. "I'll help you make it so it'll go faster."

"I'll go get ready to save time too. Thanks guys." Ken shot them a small smile before running up the stairs.

Michelle was visiting a familiar spot that evening, dressed in black. She knelt on the soft grass and gazed down at the lily-of-the-valley that were still in pristine condition even after two days. She managed a soft smile as she ran her fingers across the black marble. "Oh, Mom. You should see Nami. That huge date we told you about? It's tonight. She's bouncing off the walls she's so excited. It was so sunny today. I had to tell her to tone it down." She chuckled. "I really do hope you like these. Took me forever to find them. A nice man at the flower shop helped me." Her gaze softened and she sighed. "He seemed so...distant…foreboding." She shook her head with a laugh. "Just like me. The untouchable one is the one I find irresistible. Ah well. I gotta get going, Mom." She stood and bowed slightly in respect. "Blessed be." She turned with a tiny sigh from the tombstone and made her way out of the graveyard.

Sakura was just a tiny bit bored, needless to say. It had been surprisingly slow all day in the flower shop. Right now, there were no customers. She heaved a sigh and shrugged her shoulders. Better than the horde of girls always there to see the guys. With a chuckle, she started watering some flowers, humming to herself.

Yohji grinned as he strutted out of the shower in a towel. He padded down the hallway and into his room. Stepping on the piles of shit on the floor, he opened his closet to find an array of fancy clothes. He eyed them all over before, taking a casual black satin dress shirt from the hanger. He threw it over his shoulders and buttoned it half way. He stuck his small hoop earring back in, threw his towel in the corner, and slipped boxers on and a pair of black jeans. He managed to find a pair of matching socks, put them on and his favorite shoes. They were made of brown leather with pointed tips—comfortable and fitting to match his snazzy personality. Once he was satisfied with his wavy hair, he flipped open his expensive-looking cell phone. Yohji hit a button and listened to the soft ringing, his heart pounding with excitement that normally wasn't present.

Nami was blasting her music and adding the finishing touches to her outfit. She just barely managed to grab the phone; luckily she heard her cell ringing in between songs. "Hello?" She hurriedly grabbed the remote for her stereo and turned the music down.

"Hahaha was that music blaring 'Love Game' by Lady Gaga?" Yohji asked innocently with laugher resonating through his soft voice. "I hear that on the radio all the time. It's a girly song, but I like it." He smiled through the receiver and began heading down the stairs. "Our reservation is in 40 minutes. Are you ready to be picked up now?"

"Well, I loooove it," she laughed. "Lady Gaga has such great beats. Perfect for dancing." She started walking around her apartment, having trouble staying still. "I've been ready for aaaaaaaages. Clearly, you take too long." She grinned, stepping out onto her balcony. "I've been waiting, watching the world go by."

"And I loooove dancing!" Yohji said smoothly, twirling the keys to his car on his finger. "How about it, next time we go to a club and dance the night away...just you...and me." He opened the door to the garage and shut it behind him. "I am pretty slow, but don't worry, I'm fast at other things." He beeped his car open and slid into the front seat, revving the gas as he started it. "I'll be there in a few seconds—hold your breath."

"Mmmhmmm… see you soon." She said with a tiny smile and hung up the phone. She switched it onto vibrate and placed it inside her black clutch. She took a look out at the sky. It was going to be a beautiful night. She would see to that. Wrinkling her nose with a smile, she locked up her apartment and went to the elevator, pushing the down button.

Yohji shot out of the garage and down the street. It was only a few blocks away—where she lived. He pulled up to the curb, putting his flashers on. The dark green seven seemed to glow under the night's stars. God, he loved this car. So did Asuka... Why did it seem like he thought about Asuka a lot more recently?

Nami walked out of the front door of the building as Yohji pulled up to the curb. She stopped a few steps from the car and smiled. "Well, that was fast."

"What can I say? You live close, this car is quick, and I just had to see how beautiful you were." He gave one of his drop-dead smiles and walked around the car to open the door for her. "Like it? This car is my treasure."

"It is a very nice car," She said with a smile as she slid into the passenger seat. She couldn't resist a laugh as a breeze picked up and tousled Yohji's hair. Just as she had suspected it, it made him look more adorable.

"Mhm~" Yohji smiled, pulling his sunglasses over his eyes. "Ready for the time of your life?" He didn't wait for an answer as he started the engine and gunned it down the road and to the overly fancy restaurant. He pulled luckily into a front row parking spot and opened the door for her. "Nami, your table awaits."

Shayla slid into her desk chair with a tiny yawn. It was obscenely early in Dublin, but she didn't care. It was summer, so there was nothing wrong with being awake at ungodly hours. She might as well get used to it, after all. She was moving soon. With another yawn, she signed online. Her buddy list popped up, saying that LilChangeling, herself, had signed on. "I wonder if Omi is online…" she murmured to herself.

Omi put the butter back into the fridge and watched as Ken put away the last of the dishes into the dish washer. "Thanks for the meal, Aya!" Omi said with a bright smile at the redhead that seemed a little worse for wear. Getting a mere 'You're welcome', he dashed up the stairs and into his room where his laptop awaited him. Immediately, he signed back online. To his pleasure, he saw that his long-time pen pal was on. He typed in English (as he always did when talking to her): **Hello, Shayla. How are you? **

Ken laughed after Omi and shut the dish washer. He knew that Omi was going to go talk to that girl he liked again. "Hey Aya, I'm going to practice now. Make sure you remind Omi about helping Sakura close up today. I don't think she can reach the door." Ken turned and ran out the garage, getting on his motorcycle and gunning it to his favorite place: the soccer field.

Shayla smiled as the message from Omi popped up on her screen. She responded: **Hi, Omi **

**=) I'm tired, but good. How are you?**

Omi grinned and responded with: **I'm pretty good, busy with work. Tomorrow is going to...well it'll be a late night. ^_^ Why are you tired?**

Shayla rolled her eyes and replied: **Because it's quite early in the morning here. Sun hasn't even risen yet. Haha. Going to be out partying tomorrow night, Omi?**Shayla laughed as she sent the message. She had gotten the feeling that Omi was not a partier in the time she'd been talking to him. Still, it was fun to tease.

Omi laughed and then scowled playfully, saying: **Nooo! I should be partying! Instead, I have to go set up security systems with Aya soon. And tomorrow, I'll be out all night working. It's pretty busy here...But it's fun working with everyone.**

Shayla laughed and stretched in her chair before responding: **Well that sounds fun, I suppose. But I thought you worked in a flower shop? You're going to be off getting flowers that only bloom at night, huh? **

Omi blinked and sighed, leaning back to think for a moment. How much should he tell her? _Oh yeah, I kill people too..._

Nami smiled and got up gracefully from the car and went into the restaurant, shooting a smile back at Yohji.

He jogged to catch up to her and the golden door closed behind them. A decked out woman leaned forward with a bright smile. 'Name please,' she stated, her eyes distant and uncaring. Yohji sighed; she wasn't his type. Besides, Nami was the only girl he had found in a while that he actually liked. He was going to give her his best shot and try not to lose this one. "Kudou." They then were escorted to a lavish table by the window set for two. He offered Nami her chair and then sat down in his. "I hope you can find something you like here. They have a pretty big selection. Make sure you get everything you want. Don't worry about the cost."

Nami adjusted her skirt as she sat and rested her clutch against her ankle on the floor. She looked around the restaurant admiringly. "This really is a nice place." She moved her gaze to Yohji and waggled her eyebrows, grinning. "Trying to score big on the first date, hm?"

Eventually, Omi typed out in his best English: **Not at night I don't! The Koneko closes pretty early. At night sometimes I get jobs to set up security systems and even get some hack jobs. I don't know… I'm just really good with computers so I get a lot of jobs like that.**

Shayla gasped and laughed. Wow, another thing they had in common! She said: **Hack jobs? Oh, Omi. That's soooo terrible of you. Haha. Has anyone managed to hack your computer? **

Omi laughed quietly, glancing around the room for any sign of Aya in the hall way. Luckily no one was there. **To be honest, yes, my computer has been hacked before.** He frowned. Yeah, it was hacked by Schwarz... and not to mention smashed to pieces by Takatori's lovely police force. Life had been great then...NOT.** It was fine though; I got them back, trust me haha! I don't know why I haven't told you that before, I guess I'm just so used to everyone knowing about it at school that I just assumed. I'm sorry for never mentioning that. Computers are my forte**.

"I've got to make an impression on you, don't I?" Yohji replied with a bright grin. "I bet I've beaten all the other guys you've dated, hm, hm, hm?" He rused.

Nami leaned back, rolling her eyes. "I don't know. Date has barely even started yet. I can't make a proper assessment until the end." She grinned and winked at him.

"You're good," Yohji said with a laugh. He pulled his sunglasses up onto the top of his head, revealing his shining emerald eyes. "Screw beverages. I'm getting a smoothie. What say you?"

"Only if it's strawberry banana," she laughed. "I have this terrible weakness for strawberries. It can really be a problem." Her bright green eyes sparkled.

Shayla nodded and said: **Hah, it's alright. Being hacked isn't pleasant, I would guess. Never really had that problem. Anyone who even tries to hack my computer gets the worse sort of virus. My own invention.** She couldn't help chuckling. She was recalling when someone had tried to hack her computer. Oh, they had been SO angry. **I can share it, if you'd like.**

Omi's eyebrows raised and he grinned. **NO WAY! You like hacking too! Definitely I'd love to see your virus. I've personally constructed many different types as well.** Oh how he would have loved to go into more and more details, but he just couldn't tell her anything more. Then he would have to tell her about Weiss. It wouldn't really hurt them all the way here across the ocean, but he didn't want to chance losing her as a friend.

Shayla laughed. Omi really was a cute guy. She may have never seen his face or heard his voice, but she could tell. **Like hacking? Nah. I **_**love**_** it. If I'm not wandering the hills outside the city, I'm working on my computer.**

**Oh… wow! I can't believe that we're so alike!** Omi grinned and spun around in his chair**. Do you have any experience with security systems? I'm trying to create one that will only activate if a CERTAIN person enters. I'm finding it extremely difficult I've only gotten to creating...** He went about describing his current work in deep and informational details that would have made most people explode. He was hoping that Shayla at least might understand him.

"Strawberries? Hmm I may be able to use that against you, Nami!" Yohji grinned. "LOOK!" He pointed to the menu. "They do have it. I'm going to try this apple sherbet. It sounds weird."

Nami couldn't help but laugh at Yohji's eccentric attitude. "It does sound a little weird, I'll admit. But even the strangest things can surprise you." She smiled, skimming over the menu and glancing at Yohji from time to time.

Aya trudged up the stairs of their apartment, dragging his feet down the hall way and into his room. He had barely touched the dinner he had made himself due to the fact that he couldn't get his sister off his mind. Sakura had filled him in on everything he had missed while Aya-chan was awake. He and Yohji even had a conversation about it last night in the wee hours of the morning… It went something like this:

_"So Aya, how is Aya-chan doing?"  
_

_"Well, she seems to be better... I still haven't gotten a chance to talk to her. She sleeps so much—I'm afraid she's going to—"  
_

_"No, no, I think it's just because she's been through so much, you know? I'd bet that she'll recover soon. It's terrible that every time she does wake up, you're either in the shop or that one time when you had just left to go food shopping. But to me, it seems like she's staying awake much longer."  
_

It was driving Aya crazy. Why was it that every time his sister woke up, it was when he wasn't there? Most of the time, Yohji just happened to be there. Probably because Yohji always slept late and that was around the time that Aya-chan usually woke up? Aya was determined to catch her at least once. And maybe he could get her to stay awake. Maybe... He was so nervous. What should he say? He walked into his room and softened violet eyes fell on his sister lying there, her chest rising and falling in a dream. "I'm back, Aya... Please wake up for me soon..."

As if on cue, Aya-chan shifted in her sleep, rolling onto her side with a tiny groan. She faced the wall and slowly let her eyes flutter open. She stretched out her arms and emitted a loud yawn. She rolled back over, arms still outstretched and saw her brother standing just inside the doorway. "Ran?" Her eyes lit up and she leaped up from the bed. She immediately swayed from getting up too quickly. She sat down again on the bed, rather than fall on the floor. She looked up at her brother, trying to blink back tears. It had been far too long since she had seen her brother's face. How he had changed since then. Aya felt very much the same as she did before the accident, only older and far more out of the loop. Sakura and Yohji had been more than helpful, but it wasn't the same as seeing her brother with her own two eyes. "Oh Ran… I've missed you."

Once his sister's groan entered his ears, Aya almost passed out. He had to keep taking deep breaths to control his pounding heart. Just to hear her voice even just a little...made his head spin. How much he had longed for this moment; it almost hurt to experience it. He was nervous, and above all else, he was so happy. When her eyes met his, he froze, his heart stopped beating and he held his breath. She called his name... Somehow he moved closer to the bed, like walking through a clouded dream. He fell onto his knees, blinking back tears only to jump up when she tried to get up to hold her shoulders tightly, a look of love glinting through his eyes. He didn't know what to say. He looked like a dying gold fish opening and closing his mouth before he finally got words out. He wasn't very successful. "Aya...you..." His head collapsed onto her shoulder and he took a deep breath. He couldn't look at her and say this. "I've waited so long for you to open your eyes. Sometimes I thought it would never happen—that you really were gone. And that I was alone. Now that you're here, I don't know what to do." He looked up, tears brimming blue eyes. "You heard...from Yohji about everything, right? What I've done...to keep you alive, to...possibly wake you up?" Aya buried his head in her shoulder again and shut his eyes. "W-what...tell me what you're thinking. What should I do, Aya? Do you want to...go somewhere else? Start over…? Do I deserve that? I don't think I deserve anything. But I have to take care of you now…more than ever. I'll do anything for you, Aya."

Aya-chan wrapped her arms around her brother and just held onto him for a few minutes. It still seemed so surreal. She gently stroked his hair and smiled softly, a few tears running down her cheeks. "Yes, Yohji told me everything. I forgive you for all of it. You did what you needed to do." Aya leaned back and looked at her brother. "He tells me your name is Aya now." She smiled and chuckled. "I think it would get rather confusing with two people with the same name. You built a new life with 'Aya' so I'll build a new life now that I'm better." She laughed, thinking for a minute. "Call me Rani, okay? You've got a good life here in the flower shop... and good friends. We shouldn't leave them. We're together now, which is what matters." She giggled. "You know, you can smile for me! You look so serious!"

Shayla leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingers against the desk. She was contemplating what Omi had said for a few minutes before responding. **If you could give the system some kind of indication about the select person, it could be possible. Looks, height, anything specific enough to pick that one person out from many.** She went on to offer suggestions and conditions for the security system in just as much detail as Omi had explained to her.

Omi processed all the help she could give and finally came up with something. He thanked her many, many times and continued to discuss the many different sides to tackle this new security system. **Shayla you've helped me a lot! You would be a great teammate if you were here. It sucks you are so far away. I haven't even met you!**

Shayla couldn't help but laugh. She was thinking about telling him the news, but decided to hold off. Surprises were far more entertaining. **Ah, it's not too bad, Omi. One day I'm sure we'll make a great team. For now this will work.**

Omi sighed. It would have been great if Kritiker would hire her, ship her out to Japan and she could join Weiss and help him a little. It was great with Yohji, Ken, and Aya, but it just got a little lonely sometimes. It was always when Ken was at soccer practice and Yohji on a date, Aya reading a book somewhere or whatever he does that Omi always got this sort of longing feeling. **It would be great... if only, if only. For now...I guess. =(**

"Haha trust me, I know weird things." Yohji smiled softly and leaned back in his chair. Eventually, they ordered their meals and continued with their playful conversation. Yohji finished his food in record time, crossing his arms and watching her intently. "You know...this apple sherbet isn't bad at all. Want to try?"

Nami had just finished polishing off her smoothie. She smacked her lips and set the glass down. "Haha, sure." She reached her hand forward to take it from him.

He held the apple sherbet away from her, stole her hand in his, and pulled her closer. With a mischievous smile, he placed the glass back down and pointed to his cheek. "Kiss first!"

Nami raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Well, if I must, I must." She leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on Yohji's cheek. She leaned backwards with a smile. "Now?"

"Now, you can have anything you want!" He brightened and handed her the apple sherbet _with pleasure_.

Nami laughed and took the glass from him, taking a sip. She licked her lips and smiled, setting it back down on the table. "That is pretty good, I must admit. You made a good choice, Yohji." She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling. She hadn't had this much fun on a date in a long time.

"Picking you out of allllllll the other girls in the Koneko was the good choice, no, it was the BEST choice I've ever made!" Yohji slid his chair out and stood up. "Shall we go?"

Nami laughed as she stood up, grabbing her purse as she did. "Well, I suppose I should feel flattered that you chose me. I'm ready to go." She smiled up at him.

Aya was taken aback and a look of surprise settled onto his face. He let out a soft laugh and a small smile glided over his lips. "I haven't smiled like this in three years. I feel so happy—I've never felt so happy." He wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her close. "In all these three years, you know, I've never left your side. I always would tell you stories. I can't remember them now, but... you were the only one I could really talk to." He stopped and smiled again. "I have so much to say...haha I really—I'm just going to explode." He pulled back from her and looked his sister over carefully. "I like the name Rani, it suits you...I wonder what mom and dad would think if they knew we traded names like this!"

"They'd probably just shake their heads and laugh at us!" She laughed and hugged her brother again. "I'm glad you're happy, I really am. But you have to be happy for other reasons besides me! Be happy that the flowers are pretty. Be happy if you meet a cute girl! It's not a bad thing to be happy from time to time. I hope this 'happy once every three years' thing doesn't become habit." Rani laughed again. "If you have so much to tell me, then start talking. I know I don't have anything to tell you." She smiled.

Aya stared at her for a moment. "Remember... your birthday?" He smiled calmly. "Well... I have your present." He stretched to the bedside drawer and pulled out the earring that had been in Rani's hand for such a long time. Finally, she would get to see it. Aya pushed part of his hair away to show her the earring in his left ear. He held out his hand, and the matching one glimmered at her. "This is for you. Now we never will be separated. I'm going to try for you, Ay—Rani, to be happy. I don't know if I can... if I deserve to."

Rani gasped a little at the lovely earring, but she couldn't help but chuckle seeing the other in Aya's ear. "This is beautiful. I'll make it into a necklace." She clenched it in her palm and giggled. "Girls look rather silly with one earring, but it looks very good on you." She sobered a little bit and looked her brother, very calm. "Everyone deserves the chance to be happy. You did what you had to do. You saved many innocent people, including me. You had to do some evil to get there, but you did for the sake of mankind. It was a noble gesture and you are forgiven for it. You have every right to be happy." She smiled a little bit.

Aya laughed. "You're right... Well, I was going to give you both, but I kind of grew attached to this one." When the atmosphere grew heavy with seriousness, Aya twitched and became a bit more nervous. "That is true, but in saving others, we take lives. We kill people with family too. No, the worst part is that it doesn't bother me. Nothing mattered because it was for you. I've bloodied your name... I'm so sorry, Aya."

Rani didn't say a word; she just leaned over and gave her brother a huge hug. She squeezed him and held him close. Resting her head on his shoulder, she whispered, "I forgive you."

As they left, Yohji felt lighter. He couldn't tell if it was because he was so elated or because, well, his wallet was much emptier. Hey, he had to impress her, didn't he? They zoomed off in his sexy Seven convertible. "Nami~ you're coming back to the flower shop and we're going to watch a movie of your choice on our huge TV!"

Nami laughed, settling back into the seat. "Alright, I guess I don't have a choice." She grinned and winked at him.

"Well, it's not really about having a choice! It's whether you like big TVs or not!"

Nami couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head a little. "I suppose that makes sense. I have nothing against big TVs."

"Well, there, you see, it's already decided. We should be there soon," Yohji gunned it.

"Alright." Nami settled back in her seat and watched the city fly by.

Ken beamed as he observed the kids kick the last ball into the net. He clapped his hands to get their attention and, instinctively, they all ran from their positions to gather around the ex-goalie. "Alright, well, that's it for tonight. Sorry, guys I need to go home early tonight. There's a certain someone I need to keep in line." He leaned in closer to them and whispered. "His date is coming over... I have to watch them." He stuck out his tongue as the little boys ran away going: 'Ewww~~' Ken laughed and watched them all disappear into the distance.

Omi realized with a start how much time had progressed and quickly shut his computer off without a second thought. He threw a large, black bag together consisting of wires, monitors, and a bunch of other junk that he needed. The rest was already there waiting for him. He left the bag in the hall way and rushed towards Aya's room. "Aya! Aya!"

Shayla stared blankly at her computer screen. Blink. Blink. Omi had just signed off rather abruptly…without even saying goodbye. "Hmph." Shayla shrugged and stood from her computer, stretching with a yawn. It was time for a run through the hills. With a small grin she changed into some comfortable clothes and headed out to the countryside.

Aya was momentarily distracted from his sister's revelation and quietly cursed at himself for both losing track of time and not being able to respond to her right away. Somehow he knew, the words he was going to say would be lost. "Ah, it's time isn't it?" He frowned and shot Rani a struggled glance. "I'm... so not ready."

Omi had a small heart attack, and stop gaping for at least a minute before he realized he could still speak. "Wh-wh...Okay I'll let you get ready then..." He rushed out the door like he was running away. He grabbed the bag and raced down the stairs, falling into the couch.

What...on earth did Aya just say? _So…not ready?_ Was it 2012 or something?

Rani moved away, releasing her brother. "Was that... Omi? He moved so fast I couldn't tell." She frowned a little bit. "Do you have somewhere you need to go?"

Aya brightened and then quickly hid it. He couldn't be happy, no, nonono... It was wrong. "Yes, it was Omi. Good guess. Erm...Yes. We're going to set up security systems around the house of a man who is head of a huge corporation here in Tokyo. It's a big deal. If we don't do it right, he will die. Not that I'm complaining, but... it's part of the job...well...the rest is..."

Rani just nodded with a tiny smile. "That's fine. Don't worry about me. I'm kinda tired anyway."

Aya's eyebrows raised ever so slightly. His frown increased. "Are you hungry? Can I get you anything? Would you like me to wake you up sometime tomorrow? Maybe if you feel up to it I can show you the Koneko, our flower shop...?"

Rani just chuckled. "Don't be such a worrywart. I'm not hungry right now. But you can wake me up tomorrow morning around eight or nine. I want to try actually staying up all day, instead of sleeping through everything."

"Okay. I'll do that." He smiled a little and then went to the door, looking back. Then he shut the door, following Omi's path down the stairs. "I'm just going to wear this."

Omi nodded his approval, noting the sudden change in Aya yet again. What was happening? He blinked at him and then stood up from the couch. "I'll call on the way there. We should be about 45 minutes late."

Aya nodded, walked out the door, locked it, into the garage, unlocked his white Porsche, got in, made sure Omi was inside, started the car, and killed Omi's calculation of 45 minutes in the first 10 seconds.

Rani smiled and shook her head. She lay back down and covered herself with a blanket and a yawn. She was soon fast asleep.

Sakura heard Aya's car rip down the street from the shop. She rolled her eyes. "Looks like it's me, myself, and I tonight." She sighed a little. She had been hoping Aya would help her. She began the nightly routine, saving the door closing for last since she had trouble reaching it without a step ladder.

"OH SHIT!" It was rare that Omi cursed. "I...AYA I FORGOT ABOUT SAKURA!"

Aya slammed on the brakes and almost hit a parked car. "What are you talking about?"

"I…was supposed to help Sakura with closing the shop..."

"Oh." Aya stared at Omi funny. "I'm sure she'll be fine. Yohji should be back way before closing time."

Just then, Yohji screeched up to the Koneko entrance, contemplating which way he should go about bringing Nami inside. He caught a glimpse of Sakura's figure outside and reached out a hand to wave to her.

Sakura saw Yohji and turned to wave back...when suddenly she felt something move in the darkness behind her. He didn't pause at all. He moved like he was one with the shadows, even more so than Weiss could ever dream they could be. He grasped at Sakura's mouth and held his own breath as he watched her crumble in but a few seconds. She could barely manage a scream as the hand was clasped over her mouth. She saw the world go blurry and then crumbled slowly. The chemicals were quick to sap her consciousness and left only a shred of her alive. He flung her over his shoulder and within an instant was in a dark vehicle parked in the alleyway.

Yohji didn't have a second to react. He watched it unfold as if he were watching a movie on their huge TV. He squinted into the darkness and then realized Sakura was gone. The tail lights of the black car vanished behind the corner, the license plate numbers blurred in the night. He shifted uneasily in the seat. "Nami... I'm sorry, but you need to go home now." He turned the engine back on, spun the car around and went 90 mph to Nami's apartment. Before listening for a response, he was already on his cell phone. "Omi? Yeah something did happen. Well, I just saw Sakura get taken off in some black car. No, I have no idea. It was...way too fast. I could barely see anything happening. It's RIDICULOUS. I couldn't do shit! Goddammit Omi, I told you I don't know! I don't care if Aya is going to kill you. Just finish up there. We'll figure out something." He hung up and turned the car off. "I'm really sorry, Nami. It's just..." He trailed off and turned the car back on, putting it in drive about to leave her.

Nami barely had time to register what had happened before she found herself standing outside her apartment building alone. The phone conversation Yohji had just had suddenly clicked her mind. "Shit." She muttered, reaching into her clutch and pulling out her cellphone. As she rode in the elevator up to her apartment, she called Michelle. "Girl! Serious trouble here."

Michelle finished lighting a candle before reaching for her phone. "That doesn't sound like your date went well at all, dear."

"Oh, no! That. Yes. It did. But something just happened. A friend of Yohji's was just taken... by...someone—something."

Michelle sighed, having a feeling what was coming. "Nami, we can't. We can't go after her."

Nami rushed into her apartment, and putting her phone on speaker, started changing into jeans and a t-shirt. "Pleeeeeease, Michelle? I really like Yohji! I want to help him. Even if he doesn't know it's me doing it!"

Michelle sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes momentarily and then opened them again. "Fine. Fine, fine, fine. But dammit, Nami, You owe me. BIG TIME."

"YAY!" Nami grinned, pulling her hair back into a messy ponytail. "Oh, Michelle! Thanks sooo much."

"Relax, Nami. You don't want the sun to start shining at night. Get over here. I'll see if I can start scrying." Michelle hung up her phone and threw it on the couch. She sighed a little as she pulled out her crystal. "I hope we don't bite off more than we can chew."

_To be continued..._


	4. Midnight Rendezvous

**Author's Note: **Another new chapter! Two in one day? Alright...let's start the action, shall we! Don't forget to Review!

* * *

**Chapter Three**:

When Nami had shown up at Michelle's house late last night, they had had a pow wow. Michelle hadn't been able to find the girl. She would need something of hers in order to find her. Soon after, Nami had fallen asleep on the couch and Michelle had returned to her room. The buzzing of her alarm clock alerted Michelle that is was morning already. Ugh. Michelle crawled out her own bed and padded down the stairs to her living room. Nami was curled in a ball on the couch. She shook her. "Nami... Nami!"

Nami murmured and flickered her eyes open. "Wha-?"

Rolling her eyes, she pulled the blanket off Nami. "Get up! You've got to go find something of that girl's so I can scry! Remember?"

Nami stood slowly, running her fingers through her hair with a yawn. "Hm. Yeah. Ok."

Though Yohji had said that they would indeed figure something out when Aya and Omi got back, nothing of the sort occurred. Aya immediately locked himself in the room with Rani and according to Yohji's standard-Aya-moods, sulked. He had turned to Omi and had a staring contest for five minutes. After that ended, it took another three hours to figure out the next day's plans. It was hardly possible for the two of them to do much of anything without the others. Ken had come home a little after them and fell asleep somewhere and thus was useless. Little kids wore him out. Yohji didn't blame him. The next morning didn't quite bear fruit either, except for the fact that Rani was apparently joining them for breakfast. It was too bad the shop was closed. Yohji really wished they could have shown the en masse of fan girls to her. But without Sakura...well, the shop could hardly function. It wasn't a question of who took her and why—the phone call that came at 4:00 AM solved that for them—it was a question of how they were going to get her back unscathed. Yohji frowned and switched the TV off, carefully slinking down the steps to where Omi was locked at the computer, slaving away.

Omi looked up and cracked a small smile. "This is going to be hard, but... if we can pull it off, it would be great."

"What are you planning?"

"Well, I'm not so sure if you will be able to do it, but you know when you began trying to use that power of yours at will?"

Nami dressed in the jeans and t-shirt from last night and walked down the street towards the flower shop. As she got closer, she noticed the door was down. It was closed. She muttered a small curse under her breath. {Now what? I could break in, but that would probably not be the best thing to do. But I can't exactly just knock on the door and ask for something of that girl's!}

"Yes. See, Omi-chan I told you I _was_ special. No one believed me."

"Right. Special," Omi murmured with a slight taste of venom. "Well, imagine trying to use the electricity that short-circuited our TV with the metal of your wires? I was thinking we could trap the guy, and right before you detonate it, Ken and Aya could grab Sakura from him... But I'm worried. How smart is this guy...? He could have a special code for releasing her or something… I don't know."

"Heyyy not a shabby idea. But, Omi, you don't detonate electricity... Well, this is one of the cases we have to rush in blindly. Screw this guy. We're saving Sakura."

Omi brightened. "Yeah...you're right. I shouldn't try to think this out... It will get us nowhere. We just have to get rid of this guy...our style."

Aya paced around the room for about ten minutes before he finally turned back to the bed. Carefully and extremely gently he shook his sleeping sister. "Aya...Ay—ah—Rani! Wake up." He hit himself over the head and paced around the room again. Slowly, he approached the bed yet again. He leaned in close to her. "Oi, GET UPPPPP!"

Ken rolled over.

Rani blinked a few times and yawned. "Hmmm?" Her eyes adjusted and she saw her brother. "Good morning!"

Aya smiled softly. "Good morning..." He turned around from the bed, hiding his relief. "Will you join me for breakfast? I made it...you know how rare that is…"

Nami was pacing around the flower shop when she spotted an open window up on the second floor. "Hmmm..." She looked from side to side slowly, making sure no one was in the area. She grinned and felt a breeze pick up around her—a large gust billowing underneath her and raising her upwards. She reached her arms up and grabbed onto the sill, letting the wind die away. She pulled herself up and carefully into the room. She almost jumped when she saw the brunette from the shop the other day in bed, asleep. {Shoot.} Nami grimaced and made very cautiously for the door.

"Yeah, sure!" Rani smiled and sat up. "Let me just get dressed, yeah? I'll be downstairs soon!"

Ken rolled over again and then sat up, rubbing his eyes and letting out a huge yawn. Last night was particularly tiring due to the fact that they had a game this weekend. This was going to be difficult. A flash of color caught his eyes from the crack in his open door. He blinked, and flung it open, looking both ways. "I could have sworn..." He shrugged and proceeded to get dressed. Today was going to be long.

"Aa...right." He flew out of the room like a frightened bird and was in the kitchen before you could say 'what the hell.'

Ken walked down sleepily into the kitchen, where Yohji filled him in on the stuff he had missed last night. "WHAT THE HELL! Are you trying to tell me that Sakura was kidnapped right under our noses?"

Nami let out a deep breath of relief and began a sneaky-sneaky trek down into the flower shop.

"Shut up Ken. Do you know what time it is? No human should be awake at this hour. Seriously and you think you woke up late? RIDICULOUS. UGH..." Yohji pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled deeply.

"That's right take deep breaths, Yohji."

"You shut up soccer freak."

Aya just stood there. "..."

Nami heard arguing as she snuck downstairs and managed to silently mouth 'shit.' She bobbed and weaved around until she managed to safely dive into the flower shop.

"Still...wasn't Omi supposed to help her? Where was he?" Ken fidgeted.

"Shhh! Omi is downstairs. He'll hear you. And I just managed to cheer him up a little. He's really upset. Not to mention the redhead here. I mean look at him, HE MADE BREAKFAST FOR GODS SAKE!"

"It was for Rani," Aya said bluntly.

"Mhm. Okay. Whatever you say." Yohji rolled his eyes and fell clumsily into a chair. "And that date had been going so well...Lost another."

"Dates are the least of our problems. You could at least pretend to be serious! This is Sakura's life we're talking about! She's caught up in danger AGAIN because of us. That's just not right! What're we going to do?" Ken took to strangling one of the kitchen chairs.

"Chill. We're going to use magic."

"Yohji, you sounded like a fairy just now."

"At least I don't get up when normal people are sleeping." They playboy pushed his sunglasses up his nose and leaned back.

"Whatever," Ken spouted as he moved from his spot against the counter. "I'm going to go check out the Koneko. Maybe the guy left some evidence."

Nami breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Now then..." She began searching around the shop for what she hoped was there. She managed a small yelp of surprise when she saw the apron thrown across the register! "I knew it. No worker keeps their apron close to closing!" She swiped up the apron and made a dash for the back door. She ran off down the street to where her car was parked. She hopped into the yellow VW Beetle and drove off, shouting. "Success!"

Ken perked at the opening of the door, to hear a yelp and something like a car. He blinked, confused, and looked around. "I swear I heard something..." He sighed. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" He spun around in various directions and saw nothing. He scoured every inch with professional eyes and saw nothing out of place. "I'm losing my mind..."

About 20 minutes later, Nami pulled into Michelle's driveway outside the city. She burst into the house, waving the apron triumphantly. "I GOT IT!"

Michelle chuckled, finishing her glass of water. "Wicked. Come on, then. Up to the attic. We've got some work to do. I got the stuff from your house while you were gone." Michelle moved quietly up the stairs.

"Awesome! You're like, the best friend EVER." Nami laughed and followed Michelle upstairs to the attic.

Omi pushed his chair away from his desk in the basement and jumped up the steps to the smell of breakfast. Ah... Aya's cooking was the best.

"Girls are so slow. It's an art..."

"Yohji, that is a bad idea for an excuse," Omi laughed. "I'm sure Rani is just trying on everything that we bought her..."

"I hope not." Aya flipped a pancake while staring at Omi dejectedly.

"Yeah, we'll starve before then." Yohji sighed.

"Maybe...her hair?"

"Omi, just give up. Trying to figure out the deep complexes of a woman is not at all possible." Yohji shook his head and held out his hands to the universe.

"What on earth are you guys talking about? …Actually never mind." Ken reached for a plate and proceeded to encroach on Aya's personal space.

Rani bounced into the kitchen in jeans and a dark red t-shirt, her wet hair pulled back. "Hi guys! Sorry I took so long. I needed to shower really badly." Rani wrinkled her nose and giggled, sitting down. "Something smells really good in here!"

As the day grew dark so did Aya's thoughts. Time slowly slid into night—a night so dark that there was sure to be beasts lurking in every shadow. The mission was unclear and Kritiker had nothing to offer them but a name and a shabby photograph. They were alone. Aya turned to face the wind, his trench coat taken up into the quick song—a rhythm they all knew so well. He clenched the saya of his katana until his knuckles grew white. His hands trembled. Why...did he feel so lost? He turned away from the wind and red pieces of hair blew into eyes he had long closed. They had to succeed, but to succeed meant to bring blood home to his innocent sister—for her to see him stained in the blood of another human. No, they weren't human were they? They were beasts; that was what he always believed at least.

Within moments, Ken stood beside Aya, a toothy smile showing from one ear to the other. He placed a hand on the redhead's shoulder and then turned slowly to face the wind. "Car's this way, Aya. Rani seemed happy today." His smile waned only slightly as he added an awkward side note: "It's still weird calling her Rani."

"Can't get used to it," was all Aya said before he vanished into the front seat of his white Porsche, katana at his side. Somewhere deep inside him, he was nervous...and it seemed as if it was for the first time since joining Weiss.

Omi hadn't said a word since he had taken his place in the back seat; he just stared absentmindedly out the window at the blackness. Every once and awhile his fingers would twitch as if they were brushing over keys and switches that were to unlock what they were after.

That was until Yohji elbowed him in the ribs. "O-Bombay! Sulking like that is going to get one of us killed. You know, all of our lives are depending on you. If you want to save Sakura then get your head in the game."

Michelle smiled faintly as the crystal hit home on the map before her. She had been scrying all day and she had finally found the girl. She had sent Nami to get ready and she went to her room to do that herself. She was a little worried at what they were about to do. Her and Nami together may be able to take out this strange man, but who really knew? Her powers as yet were still very much undeveloped and Nami's emotions could ruin everything if she didn't keep them in check.

Nami was pacing in Michelle's front room, hands clasped behind her back. She was dressed in all-black, her bright purple hair tucked away under a beanie. Her eyes were dark as she pondered. Michelle and her and never done anything so serious before. Especially for someone they didn't know. But it was to help Yohji. There was just something about him that made her smile. And seeing him look so worried had shaken her. She had to help, as best she could. She paused in the center of the room, taking deep breaths in and out. Tonight was one night where her emotions could not get the best of her.

Michelle walked down the stairs and paused in the entrance of her front room. She was dressed to meld into the shadows. A long black skirt and black shirt were hidden under her trench coat. She had her hair tied loosely at the nape of her neck. This was going to be a trial. "Come on, Nami. We'll take my car. Yours might stand out." She smiled faintly.

Omi twitched and then scowled darkly. "For some reason, hearing that from _you_, Yohji, sounds a little bit strange. I can't really take it seriously." He cracked a smile and crossed his arms. "Right, right... I know... it's just...all my-"

"OMI. Stop blaming yourself. You will only bring more pain. We are on a mission. Sakura comes second." Aya spat out, his voice sharp, cold, and so emotionless that it seemed his own words bothered him.

Nami turned and looked at Michelle, smiling. "Oh, Michelle. You really are a witch." Nami laughed and looped arms with Michelle's as they walked out the door together to Michelle's black Aston Martin Vantage. Nami slipped into the passenger seat. "I loooove this car. I'm so glad you bought it."

Michelle got in the driver's seat and laughed. "I'm glad too." She turned on the engine and listened to the roar as it began to rumble. Her smile faded as she switched the car into drive and they went into the darkness, her car purring quietly.

The rest of the car ride was in silence save for the sounds of the gears shifting to Aya's command. They all braced themselves for an unknown mission plan that would happen on the spot and through their intercoms. It was direct confrontation with the enemy—this time...there was no sneaking around. Ken sighed loudly, occasionally directing Aya on where the place was they were meeting. No one else knew of the abandoned soccer stadium that used to be a hit when he was a kid. Ken wondered briefly if this murderer liked soccer. He hoped not... People like him didn't deserve to enjoy soccer's amazingness.

Aya pulled up and left the head lights on, shutting his door quickly to be rid of the incessant beeping noise. He really should get that removed. As if he ever _forgot_ to turn his lights off. He scowled and gazed into the darkness. Nothing. He glanced down at his watch. It was two minutes after the designated time...

Michelle turned her headlights off as they approached the stadium. "Maybe some cover would be good for us, Nami. We don't want to be seen entering the field." She turned her car off and slowly got out of the car, waiting until Nami was also out before setting the silent alarm.

"Right." Nami took a deep breath and gazed into the sky. The sky grew even darker and a fog began to form, especially thick around the two women. They moved cautiously forward, entering the stadium and making their way to the field.

Yohji crept up behind Aya as they made their way into the middle of the field. Once they reached it, Yohji turned his back to Aya and made sure that Ken and Omi did the same. They stood in a square formation: no openings. Still...nothing, though it was hard to see through all this fog…

"You know...this could be a trap," Ken whispered. "What if there was a bomb planted here and..."

"The reports mention nothing about bombs. And if he killed us, he would never be able to kill that corporate guy by the time he said he would..." Yohji muttered like he was talking to a fifth-grader.

"I still don't understand why anyone would announce who they were going to kill ahead of time. That's just stupid." Ken hadn't realized he raised his voice until he heard an unfamiliar one, filtering through the distance. Oh great.

"Ah? Stupid you say?"

Even with the headlights on, it seemed they weren't able to detect him. Yohji leaped back a few feet, his eyes an emerald fire. "I don't see Sakura."

"Hm... I don't hear the code."

"5078jykw6749xzv," Omi said electronically, his face filled with seriousness and vengeance.

"OMI! Why'd you have to go and give him the code?" Ken was about ready to pounce.

"Goddammit," Yohji spat as he seemingly grabbed at thin air and pulled hard. Instantly, the man was trapped in a web of invisible wires, tight enough that he could barely breathe. "Now tell us where Sakura is."

"But if you kill me, you won't ever know."

In a flash of cold steel, a crease of blood formed, a few drops falling to stain plaid clothing. Violet eyes glowed through the darkness, reflecting the katana he held at the beast's neck. "Tell us or you will die. We can find Sakura on our own."

"Eeeehheh heh heh heh~~! But she's already dead!" Kanon's eyes grew wider, seeming as if they would burst from his head. Greasy brown hair blew back and forth in the wind. He flicked his wrist and five shuriken flew from his fingers at once, three flying directly through a body on the complete opposite side of the field, by a tree that had grown since the stadium was abandoned. "You see when I have a girl...I-I just can't resist heh heh heh heh... And well...I never said I was going to kill her but... I had to see her blood...what color it would be... like wine or like a rose...or maybe even the color of a stop sign. But I can't ever stop—can't ever stop!"

At the same time the deranged lunatic threw the five shuriken, Omi let free five of his darts, aimed at deflecting the high speed shuriken. In the darkness, he squinted through his night vision goggles at the fleeing murder weapons and saw that only two of his met their target. His mouth dropped open and he went to run forward to try again, but the shuriken were just moving so fast... his darts—less aerodynamic—couldn't reach them in time. He continued to gasp and fell to his knees. Softly, the sound of gurgling was heard through the silence that fell. It all had happened in seconds.

Immediately, the web of wires holding Kanon Matsumoto lit up like they had caught fire, but the fire glowed a deep burgundy and danced, springing out in strings of light, sprouting from his finger tips and attracting to the metal of the wires he held in his hands. It sparked.

Aya didn't care in that moment, nothing mattered. He didn't care what happened; he just knew that this man had to die. He flung his sword backwards, quickly, thrusting it with sheer force and strength, towards the lunatic's throat…

_To be continued..._


	5. Sewing Ties

Author's Note: I'm making up for all those years and all those times I was horrifically slow at updating. So HAH. Enjoy and REVIEW!

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**Chapter Four**:

As the lightning streaked up the wire and the blade moved towards the villain's throat, time itself seemed to stop. Michelle rushed out from the dark entrance to the field, her hands raised. She sighed and stopped. Everyone on the field was frozen, save for her and Nami. She moved silently towards the tree on the side of the field, her eyes darkening as she saw the tortured body of the girl. She leaned forward and sighed heavily. She was gone. That poor girl. She turned around when she heard a scream.

The scream soon faded from Nami's throat and she stood in horror at the scene before her. "What—what happened, Michelle? We were supposed to save her! And Yohji... he's—what's he doing?" As tears filled her eyes, the skies grew darker and thunder rumbled nearby. "This is all wrong! All so wrong!" The thunder grew louder and a lightning bolt struck down next to where Nami stood. Rain began to pour from the skies.

Michelle cursed and ran towards Nami, hugging her close. "Nami! Nami! You have to calm down! We did what we could... we couldn't have saved her." She turned to look at Yohji. "And as for Yohji, we can't stop him. Look, Nami. He has a gift as well. He wants vengeance for his friend. There's nothing we can do to impede that. You need to stop crying, Nami."

Nami managed to slow her tears, yet the storm continued. Her anger and sadness for Yohji would not easily dissipate. She broke herself from Michelle's embrace and walked towards the center of the field where Yohji stood, poised to destroy that… that murderer. She refused to look at that killer… he would be dead soon enough. She turned her gaze to Yohji, standing very close to him. She could feel the electricity of his lightning; it was in her blood as well. She gently reached up and touched his shoulder, whispering. "I'm sorry, Yohji..." As she walked back towards Michelle, the storm slowly died down and only a light rain remained.

Michelle followed Nami back to the entrance they had originally come in. She waited until Nami had set the fog around them again. Taking a deep breath, she turned towards the scene at the center of the field. She raised her hands, keeping them tightly fisted. She closed her eyes and released her fists, causing her fingers to flare outward. Time continued on its deadly course.

Aya's blade met with flesh, his eyes in deadly slits. "Shi ne," he whispered, his voice coming out like jagged wind. The murder's head thudded to the ground and rolled sideways before it came to rest, eyes open, staring blankly at death. Aya didn't have a chance to look up before he felt shooting pain through his entire body, burning like fire and seeping through his pores. He felt his hair rising and without thought, he reacted by dropping to the ground. The wires no longer touched him, but neither did consciousness.

Yohji watched with horror as his own power took Aya to the ground before it even reached whom it was intended. He managed to curse before he felt the same shooting pain take over his own body. It seemed the lightning had ran in a circle through the confusion of wires. It went from Aya, through the dead man's corpse, and then back to Yohji. He struggled to move his arms, his fingers—a muscle to touch his watch, to get off his connection to the wires.

Aya opened an eye, his body sluggish. The wound across his ribs from when ESSET fell burned, causing him to favor one side, but he still managed to raise his sword in time to sever the watch around Yohji's wrist.

Yohji forced his eyes open and they quivered as they took in the quick motion of silver and shooting pain in his wrist. And then it all was over, the world going black.

Michelle remained still and silent as she watched the red-haired man, Aya—if she remembered correctly—crumble to the ground. She shook her head a little bit. Clearly, this Yohji was new to his powers and had yet learned to control them. She feared that his lack of control over his magic would cost him his life.

Nami could barely contain a gasp as she saw Yohji being struck by his own lightning. If Michelle hadn't have grabbed her arm, she surely would've run out on the field. Instead, she took several deep breaths and did her best to keep the storm the way it was and the fog surrounding her and Michelle.

Aya dropped his sword into the grass halfway through the cut to avoid being electrocuted again. It fell, lodging itself into the cold earth, and dispersing the lightning. The ground all around the sword turned to cinders. Aya collapsed onto his knees, panting.

Ken stood like a shadow—a being that could touch nothing and do nothing. He could only be bent by the light. He caught glimpses of what was actually happening, squinting, blind, into the darkness. He hadn't a clue what was happening, but from the lightening, he could finally see. He heard Sakura die, saw the blood flying, watched Aya fall, and then watched Aya save Yohji's life. It was before he could even move, before a muscle in his body even twitched. He moved to Yohji now, trying to do something—anything to help other than stand there like a dumbfounded fool.

Aya fought a battle with consciousness, glaring daggers at the ashes blowing around his sword. He reached for it, his whole arm quaking as he tried to grasp it. Finally, he managed to move just enough to touch it. He pulled it to him and leaned heavily to pull himself up, lodging the katana deeper into the mud. He stood on shaky feet, and stumbled to Yohji.

Ken had Yohji on his back, checking carefully for a pulse. He almost had a heart attack, waiting to feel it when suddenly it came, like a wave of success. He broke a smile despite the horror the night possessed. He quickly tore off a shred of his shirt and tied it extremely tight around Yohji's wrist. "In saving him—if he bleeds to death, I'll kill you."

"The watch was too thin," Aya breathed.

The wind carried the brunette's words to Nami's ears. With a scream, she tore her arm away from Michelle and ran out onto the field. The storm returned to its original intensity as Nami pushed Ken away and fell to her knees beside Yohji. The rain battered down on the entire field, and the thunder crashed in the air around them as lightning struck near Nami and Yohji. The rain however, did not touch them. As it fell towards them, Nami waved her hands and it fell into a soft snow. "Yohji…" She directed the snow to fall onto his body, attempting to cool the minor burns that were crisscrossed across his limp form.

"WHAT IS GOING ON? WHY IS IT SNOWING WHEN IT'S HOT OUT!" Ken had an epiphany. He allowed himself to be moved to the side without struggle, barely registering that the shove came from a girl he did not know.

Omi momentarily looked up from his shock, tears streaking his face. Cerulean blue eyes shook with emotion as he sucked in another breath. "She's dead..."

Aya basked in the dropping temperature, almost allowing himself to sigh with physical relief. The searing heat was dissipating from his skin and leaving him only with a tingling feeling lurching through his veins and the mild ache in his side. He shut his eyes and leaned further on his sword, which sunk just a little more.

Michelle moved from the shadows and through the pouring rain into the snowy center of the field. "Nami... tone the storm down. The rest of us are going to get soaked soon enough." She sighed and shook her head. Typical Nami, getting her into the strangest situations. She stood between Yohji and Aya, gazing down at Yohji's wrist. The shred of shirt around it was already starting to turn red from the blood. It needed to be stitched. She slowly knelt, reaching into a pouch that hung around her hips. "Nami, you'll have to keep him still if he wakes." She pulled a long, sharp needle out, along with a spool.

Nami slowly registered Michelle's statement and took a deep breath. The storm once again died down, but the snow still continued to fall. She needed to cool him down, but not freeze him. That would be the exact opposite of what she needed.

Through his extreme confusion, Ken watched blankly. Being the only one able to think coherently, he put two and two together and discovered that Yohji wasn't the only one other than Schwarz that possessed special powers. Wow...this girl could control the weather? Or something…? That was pretty _shocking_...so if it rained during a soccer game, she could make it sunny again? That was awesome. Ken shook his head, trying to rid himself of his miniscule thoughts. What was important now was saving Yohji, resurrecting Omi, knocking sense into Aya, and mourning Sakura's death. Ken felt some sort of withdrawn sadness, but it didn't quite surface like a normal human's emotions would. He felt so far away from everything. The only thing he could think was: action. Action. He had to do something. His eyes drifted from Yohji being stitched to Aya who seemed unable to catch his breath. Nope, it didn't seem he could do anything for them at the moment. He looked at Omi and his eyes dropped. This was bad. He wandered over cautiously. "Hey...Omi..."

Omi looked up briefly, a look of horror seeming to be permanently etched into his quivering blue eyes. He opened his lips, they shook with silent words before he shut his mouth again. His hand clutched the wet grass and he shut his eyes tightly. Tears were squeezed from them and fell to darken his shorts. "Sakura..." He managed to whisper through cracked lips. {I killed her.}

Michelle sighed and kneeled, placing Yohji's arm on her lap. She carefully unwrapped the strip and watched as the blood began to seep out. She ignored it as it stained her clothes and slipped the thin thread through the eye of the needle. She unwound a bit of the thread and then carefully pierced the edge of Yohji's skin. She tugged the needle and thread through gently, piercing the other side of the cut. Quickly and efficiently she stitched the wound shut. She cut the thread and tied off the end. She then captured some of the snow in her hand, using it to gently wash away the blood. "There. Much better." She tore away a strip from her own skirt and rebound the wound. She laid his arm again at his side and stood, replacing the tools in the pouch at her hip. "Nami, I think that's enough for now. We should go…"

Nami let the snow return to rain, which by now was a gentle drizzle. However, she looked up at Michelle, clearly distraught. With a tremble in her voice, she stated: "No." As if to seal her point, a bolt of lightning crashed next to where Michelle stood. "I want to stay with him."

Michelle sighed heavily and nodded. "Fine. We'll do the best we can." She barely noticed when the lightning bolt struck a few feet from her. It was nothing new. Nami had struck her with lightning plenty of times before, when she was still developing her powers.

Icy eyes opened, focusing darkly on the grass. He watched as slowly everything around them turned white. He didn't understand it, and yet he didn't bother to question it. Why white? Why was snow so white? He never could understand that simple fact. In the white, he felt as if he didn't belong there. Black was more his color...or red. He half-lay, half-sat beside Yohji as he bled to death and a stranger saved him. Aya had accomplished nothing but more death. He looked up into the sky and squinted, taking a deep breath of the dry air. He pushed away from his sword, swaying. He didn't hear Ken or Michelle. All he heard were the snowflakes joining the others on the ground. He found himself standing before a dead body of a girl that at one time had called him by his real name—the name of his childhood. Sakura... she was the girl that he had managed to save, she was the girl who had made him smile for the first time since Rani had gone into a coma. Now...she was gone—and it was all their fault. He dropped to his knees, and pulled her bloodied body onto his lap. "I'm sorry..." he whispered. "The truth is... I've always thought of you as another sister, but I could never tell you. Sakura...I hope someday, maybe we'll meet again." He lifted her limp body up towards the black sky and carried her in the direction of his Porsche, a solemn look touching his eyes.

Ken spotted Aya and escaped the crushing sadness of Omi to approach him. "Oi...Aya. Ken frowned when he saw the blood completely covering one side of the older man and more that was oozing from the victim in his arms. He saw the closed eyes of their friend, Sakura, that would never open again. He shivered as the cold sadness brushed his heart momentarily. "I'll call Kritiker. We can't take her with us..."

Aya seemed to come to a realization and nodded silently, placing her back on the ground. It turned red instantly and he had to look away. He stumbled back to his sword and struggled to sheath it at his side. Omi didn't seem to be moving. Yohji seemed to be getting paler. Aya bit his lip and glanced at his car. When Ken was done reporting the incident to Birmin via cellphone, Aya sighed and motioned to Yohji. "Carry him to the car." He took another deep breath and tried to breathe normally, but it seemed like he still couldn't catch his breath. His head swam suddenly and the edges of his vision grew darker. He found himself kneeling on the ground, his head as low as possible, fighting to remain conscious. Ken was at his side, visually surprised. That's right, because Aya was always the one who knew what to do, the one who carried everyone back. It seemed, things had changed since ESSET. Aya fell into the tunnel that swarmed around him until no more thoughts were able to break through.

Nami looked through dazed eyes as Aya moved towards Yohji, heard him speak to the brunette. She looked rather calmly at Ken. "I'm going with him." She gazed at him, just daring him to say no.

Ken looked up from Aya whose head was now in his lap. It was a good thing Aya was unconscious; he would have killed him. "With Yohji?" Ken asked the girl, quietly. He looked back at Omi and then at Aya. "I understand, but in Aya's car... you see…well...there's not a lot of room since it's a sport's car and...well..."

"I'm. Going. With. Yohji."

Michelle sighed, shaking her head. She moved forward, helping Nami to stand as she turned to address Ken. "Unless you want to get struck by lightning as well, take her in Aya's car. I'll take him," she said, motioning a hand towards Aya's comatose form.

Ken was hoping Aya was in no way comatose. His eyes narrowed and he shrugged. It wasn't like he had any idea what the right thing to do would be... "Alright. Take care of him." He leaned over the redhead and grabbed the keys out of his trench coat pocket. Placing Aya's head on the ground, he stood up and walked over to Yohji. "What's your name?" He blinked, motioning to the girl who wanted Aya. "Pull your car around to ours. That way I don't have to break my back carrying him." Ken looked annoyed...he wasn't a fan of carrying people. Unfortunately with this job, it was frequented. He always was the one who got screwed too. _Damn you both Aya, Yohji!_

"I'm Nami. I'll help carry him. Who are you?" She looked down at Yohji. {Please be okay.}

"Well, I meant her," Ken muttered. He shed a small, friendly smile at Nami. This one wasn't so bad. "I'm Ken. I was once a famous soccer goalie." He grinned and then looked from her to Yohji again.

Michelle turned and left the stadium silently, mentally cursing. {Oh Nami, why do you get me in these situations?} She got into her car and drove it over to the abandoned parking lot, stopping it alongside Aya's white Porsche. As she leaned against the side of her car, she thought to herself. {Oh, Mom. I think this one guy is good-looking and now I'm driving his comatose body home. I just have a way with men.} She chuckled darkly.

Nami shook her head with a tiny smile. "That's Michelle. She's," Nami paused, "well, she's Michelle." She moved to one side of Yohji, looking down at him. "I'm not much into sports, but I'm sure you were a great soccer player." Her smile faded from her face and her eyes and she whispered, "I—I'm sorry about your friend, Sakura? I think that's what Yohji called her..."

"Yeah..." Ken muttered. He felt he should say more, to thank her, to do something, but he couldn't find it in himself to voice anything at all.

"...Are you ready to carry him?"

"Alright, yeah, let's go." He bent down and grabbed Yohji's upper torso and hoisted him into the air. "You both are going in our car, right?"

As Ken lifted Yohji's upper body, Nami grabbed his legs and lifted. She nodded, focusing on holding onto Yohji. She wasn't all that strong, but she had a feeling that carrying a human by yourself would be hard. She was sure Ken was as grateful for the help as she was for his.

Ken and Nami managed to make it to Aya's car without dropping the tall, heavy playboy once. "Hey Michelle, open the door for us." Ken waved the keys from under Yohji's hair.

Michelle glanced at Nami, before grabbing the keys from Ken's hand. She pushed the button on the key ring, and then moved forward, opening the door.

"Thanks," Ken murmured, carefully navigating Yohji onto the leather seat. He briefly hoped they wouldn't be made to clean blood off the seats again. "Alright. Aya's next."

"I'll help with him." She was somewhat blunt, almost cold. She inwardly grimaced, but kept her composure. Considering all that had happened she should be compassionate. It wasn't easy to lose a friend and then have to care of two more that were injured. But she needed to stay calm… for now. She moved back towards the field.

Nami slid into the backseat and shifted Yohji so that he was lying down as comfortably as he could, considering the small car. She rested his head into her lap, closing the door quietly. She ran her fingers gently through his hair, staring down at his face. She whispered, "You're going to be okay..."

Ken raised an eyebrow. He was going to argue, but he figured that it would just be easier to go along with the situation than try to tackle it. He followed after her slowly and assisted in carrying Aya to Michelle's car. Ken realized with horror that he had never seen Aya asleep. It was weird... seeing their leader as limp as Yohji. So weird.

Michelle had the passenger door open and the seat laid back. She helped situate him and then shut the door silently, looking at Ken. She seemed for the tiniest moment, unsure. "I'll follow you. He'll be safe with me." She moved towards the driver side's door, stopping once to say quietly, "I'm sorry for your loss."

"I didn't know her that well, but Aya and Omi are going to be pretty bummed for a while." He frowned. "We've known her a long time though...Thank you." He bowed slightly and then darted back off to the field. The snow that was once there was now gone... leaving only rain and blood. He bent down to Omi. "Come on, Omi. We REALLY have to go now. Come on. You're going to catch a cold." Ken grabbed the boy's hand and dragged him to his feet, jogging towards the cars.

"A-are they okay?" Omi asked quietly, his voice shaking as he ran after Ken. He felt numb, so cold that he couldn't feel anything at all. His eyes seemed like a shell of what they once were—a dull blue that was so sad that it would pierce anyone's heart.

"Yes, they're going to be okay. It's the idiot's fault that Aya had to save him. Lucky that Aya cut his watch in such a way that neither of them would die from it. I didn't really see it, but..."

Michelle slid into the driver's seat, starting the car. She placed a hand on the dashboard with a tiny smile, this car definitely was the right choice. She looked over at Aya lying in the passenger seat. As she waited for Ken to lead the way, she spoke quietly. "You were so helpful at the flower shop the other day. Those flowers were exactly what I needed for Mother." She shook her head. "I'm sorry about the loss of your friend..."

Omi held his breath, trying to wish away the tears that wanted to fall. He couldn't blame himself. Sakura, the cheerful Sakura wouldn't want it that way. He slid into the passenger's seat and watched as Ken turned on the car and with great difficulty (due to it being stick shift and Ken's skills being rusty), drove them back home...

Once or twice Aya drifted back from unconsciousness and his eyes flickered open to a blur of reality. And he vaguely noticed that he wasn't in his car or at the abandoned soccer field. There was someone he felt he recognized driving, but he couldn't place who she was... Sakura? No. She smelled like lily-of-the-valley.

Michelle followed closely behind Ken, her driving fluid. When they arrived at the flower shop, she sat and waited for Ken and the others to get out of Aya's car before she got out.

Rani was waiting up for them, watching a movie. She heard two cars pull up to the flower shop. Pulling a sweatshirt over her head, she dashed outside and stopped short as she saw Ken in the driver's seat of Aya's car. "What the—? What's going on? Where's Aya?" She noticed the red hair through the window of the car behind the Porsche and gasped a little. Aya did not seem to be awake…or moving for that matter.

Ken punched the dashboard…lightly. He got out of the car and walked over to Rani, forcing a lighthearted smile. "He's just in Michelle's car. Why don't you go back inside?" He motioned her towards the door. "Oh, Rani-chan, would you mind making some tea?" He shot Omi a go-help-her-now look and went to assist Nami with getting Yohji out of the car.

Rani frowned and looked between Ken and Aya's form in the car. With a large frustrated sigh, she went back inside and into the kitchen. She began making some tea, trying to stay calm. She would get answers eventually…hopefully.

Michelle also got out of her car. Her cool composure had returned. It was back to business, for the time being.

Nami slid very carefully out of the car, making sure Yohji's head did not get bumped as she got out. She looked at Ken. "Ready?"

"Ready," He repeated with a smile. He was beginning to like Nami's protectiveness over Yohji. It made him feel warm despite the wet weather. In all the time he had known Yohji, he had never had anyone like that. He wiped the smile off his face quickly. Couldn't look too happy... Sakura just died for god's sake. "Let's bring him right into his room. That, I think, would be easiest. You can stay in there if you want. Or… whatever you want." They proceeded inside and up the stairs. Ken thought of the brilliant idea of laying down a bath towel under his arm so that any excess blood wouldn't stain Yohji's treasured sheets.

Omi slipped into the kitchen and came up beside Rani. "Sakura-chan...she..." Omi began, but his voice caught and he seemed unable to continue.

Rani turned from the stove and saw Omi's face. She gasped a tiny bit and as tears filled her eyes, she grabbed onto Omi and held him close. "Oh, Omi..."

Nami looked down at Yohji's bed and murmured. "Thanks…" A thought occurred to her and she looked at Ken, her face turning pink. "Umm, he probably shouldn't stay in those clothes… B—bu— I…uh..." She looked down, biting her lip.

Michelle waited calmly for assistance with Aya. She opened the passenger door and stood to the side so Aya could feel the fresh air. She took several deep breaths herself. She needed to keep her composure; it was imperative.

Ken stared at her blankly. "What's the problem?" He asked before he suddenly realized that what she meant was that Yohji was soaked and would probably freeze to death before he woke up. "Oh, well, why didn't you just say that he should change clothes?" Ken proceeded to undress the idiot, dumping soaked clothes into the corner until all that remained was his pants. He considered this, but figured they would just dry as is.

Nami took a deep breath and her color returned to normal. "Thanks." She briefly wondered as to why Ken was acting dense. She'd only known Yohji a few days (although she doubted Ken knew that) and she definitely didn't want to take his clothes off. Especially in these circumstances. Chuckling a little bit, she pulled a blanket up from the floor and wrapped Yohji in it before sitting cross-legged next to him on the bed. She pulled her skull cap off, letting her purple hair fall down her back.

Ken exited. "Tell me if you need anything." He smiled, and with a wave, he was back in the garage. He and Michelle lifted and carried Aya into their apartment, but stopped in the middle of the hallway as Ken contemplated something. For now, it was best to give him his bed back. Rani wouldn't mind, right? They set the redhead down and Ken did the same with him as he did with Yohji. This whole process was way too annoying... usually one of them were the ones to do this sort of thing. Ken felt awkward being the one to do all the work…for once.

Omi couldn't help but let it out now. Even though he only had known Rani for a short amount of time, he felt so close to her. She was a part of their makeshift family… When he managed to gather himself back together, he explained everything to Aya's sister like she was his psychiatrist.

Rani herself cried a little bit as she listened quietly to Omi while he spoke of what happened. When he finished, she hugged him again. "It'll be okay, Omi." But would it?

Michelle looked at Aya on the bed and nodded. She gasped, her face going very pale. She looked at Ken, her eyes wide. "I—I need to go." Her breathing ragged, Michelle ran out of Aya's room and outside to her car. She jumped inside and drove off very quickly. She managed to get outside the city before she had to pull over. She jumped out of the door and managed to disappear into some trees. Holding onto her stomach, she retched. She collapsed to her knees once she finished, taking deep gulps of fresh air. Once she felt her head clear she stood and walked back to her car, muttering. "Not again. Damnit." She got back inside the Vantage and drove the rest of the way home where she collapsed into her bed.

Nami smiled faintly at Ken as he left Yohji's room. She gently ran her fingers through Yohij's hair, looking down at him again. "I'll keep an eye on you, don't worry."

_To be continued..._


	6. The Morning After

**Author's Note**: The next chapter should be coming really soon. I'm willing to beg for you guys to leave reviews. I want to see what you guys think!

* * *

**Chapter Five**:

The past night seemed like a blur, no...it felt like a nightmare. Through Omi's fuzzy mind he recalled everything sharply. Tossing the covers back from him, he stood up from the couch, stretching. Sakura would never stretch again... He sighed and went to go into the kitchen, but tripped and fell face first onto the carpet. He blinked at a huddled form and pieces of hair peeking from under the white blanket that smelled like roses. It was Aya's blanket from his bed. Omi smiled, scampering away so he didn't disturb her further. Then a thought occurred to him…why were they sleeping in the family room? He blinked, staring at his hands with bleary eyes. He guessed that was just the result of someone dying… You didn't know which way was up.

Michelle awoke rather slowly in her room, dressed in the clothes from last night. She stood, stretching as she rose. She grimaced and moved towards the bathroom. She felt better than last night, but she knew it was going to continue. She turned the shower on and let it get hot before she stripped down and climbed in. She stood under the running water for a minute, letting it relax her before she started to clean herself up.

Ken moaned and rolled over, burying himself deeper into his bed.

There was a loud thud followed by a grimace and a few whispered curses. The redhead rose up from the floor, a dark look shining through his violet eyes. Why in the world was he in his room? What happened to the girl driving? The lily-of-the-valley girl. He glanced about his room just in case, before slipping out. It felt like his head was splitting open. The world was spinning a little too fast as well. He managed down the steps, looking like Yohji usually did in the morning, and found Omi in the kitchen. The younger boy seemed relieved to see him. "Omi...can you make coffee?" Aya asked in a threatening voice, like he would kill something if he didn't have coffee that very second. It was obvious Aya was in no shape to go about figuring out how to work Yohji's advanced coffee maker.

"Coffee?" Omi asked surprised, the tone of Aya's voice not fazing him in the least. Usually Aya liked tea... but he guessed their leader needed the extra caffeine after last night. He didn't blame him. Aya looked like a wreck. Omi almost wanted to giggle, but he valued his life too much.

Rani groaned a little as she felt something poke her and then the floor shake from the impact of something. With a yawn she blinked her eyes open. She saw that Omi was gone. She stood and wrapped the blanket around herself, shuffling into the kitchen. When she saw Aya, she felt herself wake up a little more. "Aya…" She was relieved to see him awake and moving, but she was still really worried. He looked terrible.

Aya perked at the sound of his name and spun around to see his sister. He gave a ghostly smile, but didn't make a move from where he stood holding onto the counter. He was afraid that when he moved, he would show weakness. There was no way he could let her worry about him, about this job as Weiss, about killing people, about what happened to Sakura happening to her...

Nami had tried in vain to stay awake, just in case Yohji woke up. But the night had taken its toll on her. She lay next to Yohji, a hand resting on his arm. Her other arm was tucked under her head, curled against him, sleeping quietly.

Yohji issued a loud yawn at the first touch of sunlight on his face. He rolled over to avoid it and was met with something soft and warm. What could it be other than a woman he brought home? He smiled a crooked smiled and wrapped his arms around it, snoring audibly. Life was great...

Nami was awoken by a rather loud snore. She issued a tiny yawn and made to move a little. She felt two arms enclosing her. Her eyes snapped open and she saw Yohji had moved a lot closer to her. "Yohji?" She murmured, unfortunately pinned by his move in his sleep. "Yohji... wake up."

"Mmph..." Was Yohji's drowsy reply as he cracked opened an emerald eye and moaned.

Rani blinked and moved forward to stand next to her brother. "Are you okay?"

"Hn." Aya crossed his arms and looked towards the coffee. When was it going to be done...?

Rani rolled her eyes at his answer. He wasn't going to say... fine. She opened the blanket up and hugged her brother. "I'm glad you're 'hn' then."

Aya stumbled backwards and almost collided with Omi. Fortunately, he caught the counter again. He put an arm around his sister. "Glad to see you are awake, Rani."

"Yohji. I need to move... I might hit your wrist." She was trying to stay calm and get him awake. Her face was turning pink. Not quite the situation she had planned. She had hoped to slip out before he woke up, but instead she was pinned and couldn't get free.

Yohji blinked and few times and then lurched away, sliding with the covers off the side of the bed and onto the wood floor. There was something about Weiss members being startled and falling off beds that Yohji was now learning from experience. "A-a-a-ah...Nami?"

Rani just looked up at Aya with a satisfied smirk. She sat down and rested her arms on the table. "Being is awake is a nice change."

Aya nodded and grabbed for a coffee mug, almost failing to grab it off the rack. If he had failed, it would have broken. If it would have broken, that would have been bad...very bad. With how disoriented he was... he didn't even want to imagine. "Tea would have been faster..." He muttered.

Nami sat up, running her fingers through her hair. "Uh... hi." She stood quickly, grabbing her skull cap. "I—I should go. You have to… well, yeah…" She made for the door, her face now turning red.

"Ah! Wait, wait! Nami! Did I do something wrong?" He dove from his place on the floor and lunged for her hand, catching it before she had a chance to open his door. "Wait... Look, Nami, I'm sorry... whatever it was that I did, can you forgive me? I know... I'm like one of the worst guys out there but all those other times...they don't even compare to you."

She opened her mouth to ask him if he even remembered last night, but then his words registered. She looked down at him, blinking slowly a few times. Realization dawned quickly; this wasn't the first time he'd said this type of thing. {Other times, huh? So he thinks I slept with him after one date?} She reached for the hand that had grabbed hers and wrapped her fingers around the bandaged wrist. She squeezed very gently and removed his hand. She sighed and opened the door, walking out. "Bye, Yohji." She quickly left the building and started to walk home.

Yohji winced, bit his lip until it bled, but didn't hesitate before he went after her. He caught her at the door. "Nami! Wait. At least let me drive you home. Look! See it's raining... If you don't want to see me anymore, here just keep this." He tossed his navy blue rain coat that was almost identical to his trench coat to her. He had grabbed it quickly off the coat rack on his way after her.

Nami took the coat and looked down at it. She heaved a deep sigh and walked back, placing it in his hands. "I like the rain. Get your story straight, and then you can call me." She turned and walked away again, calling over her shoulder, "Oh, and you're welcome for saving your life." She glanced upwards at the rain falling down and managed a weak smile. She really did hope he would call her. She didn't want to end things with Yohji when they had just barely begun. But he had screwed up... he needed to fix it.

"Then why did you make coffee?" Rani smirked again. She had missed teasing her brother.

"If you have to know, caffeine..." Aya growled back at her, tapping his foot in anticipation. "OMI! How long is this going to take? People must be crazy to wait this long in the morning just to have coffee."

"Well, usually it's the first thing they do and while they're getting ready…" Omi stared at the coffee maker and then looked back at Aya, trying not to show how he felt about the current situation. Aya…shirtless?

The 'getting ready' part hit Aya like a boulder. He looked down at himself and realized he was only wearing his black pants from last night and the bandages around his torso from when the Temple fell. This shock was met with silence...

Rani smiled faintly. "Omi has a point, onii-san. By the time you clean up, the coffee will be finished. Do you want some help to your room so you don't fall?"

Michelle got out of the shower a short time later, feeling ten times better. She dressed quickly in a navy blue long skirt and gray camisole. She padded barefoot up to the attic, kicking the door shut behind her. She went around the room, lighting some candles and incense before settling down on some giant pillows to the side of the room. She took a few deep breaths, closing her eyes. She needed to figure out what was coming next.

"..." Aya turned from them both and proceeded to sway up the stairs like a drunkard. Though he hated how he looked and felt, he successfully got in the shower. He blared his trademark blistering hot water, and breathed in the steam. After a while, he got dressed into baggy, white cotton pants and a blank tank top. He found himself back in the kitchen, uncombed, dripping hair falling in his eyes. "—done yet?"

Rani handed him a mug of steaming hot coffee. "Yes."

"Mm..." was Aya's response as he downed it in almost a single gulp. He held out the mug to Omi for more.

"Eehh?" Omi stared at the mug blankly.

Yohji stood there and watched Nami go until she disappeared, the rain balling on his hair. After a time, his mind came back a little. Bits and pieces of last night gathered and soon he realized that maybe Nami had actually been there last night. He was so confused... All he could remember was his powers back-firing, getting Aya involved, and his watch being cut off. Aya had saved his life...but then where did Nami come in? Did he almost die again after that? Maybe that explained the lack of memory. He frowned and wandered back inside to the kitchen. "Yo mornin', Aya."

"Hn." He continued to chug the next mug-full that Omi poured for him.

Omi's mystified eyes drifted to Yohji now. "Yohji!" He almost tackled the man then thought twice about it. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Not exactly...my head is spinning, my wrist feels like someone is holding a lighter to it, my head is splitting open—Oh… Omi, Nami…was she there last night? How did she get there? Did she follow us?"

Rani turned and looked at Yohji, smiling. "Morning Yohji."

"Uh…erm...I'm not so sure. Aya was the one who cut you though," Omi said after a pause.

"Morning my sweet, Rani-chan." Yohji smiled. "Yeah great so the redhead finally got his shot in at me. Almost killed me this time!"

"..." Aya finished the second cup of coffee.

Nami arrived home and quickly hopped into the shower. She was in and out and into some sweatpants and a too-big t-shirt. She lit a candle on her coffee table and plopped down on her couch. She flipped on her TV and DVD player and started watching The Wedding Date. She grabbed a blanket and wrapped herself in it. A good movie in comfy clothes ought to help her sour mood... at least that's what she hoped.

Eventually, Ken gave into the sunlight and joined the meeting going on in the kitchen. Finding, the coffee pot empty, he poured himself a glass of milk and devoured it. Seeing as he was too lazy to cook breakfast... "Why don't we order something to eat?" He suggested after his speedy entrance.

"Wait, Ken, before we start talking about food..." Yohji began with a sigh. "I'm having trouble remembering much at all. And Omi here seems to be a robot that can't compute half of what I'm asking him. Aya over there is a dead weight who can't even put a shirt on right-side-out. Please, Ken, I'm begging you here. Nami left in a rush this morning. I want to know what I did. She said she saved my life?"

Ken froze and put the phone back on the receiver. It seemed everyone's attention was plastered on him. He frowned... he never was great in the spotlight. "Well... you forgot that lightning has no real direction. It just followed your wire all the way back to its source. So as you were killing yourself and that freak's head was already on the ground, Aya managed to recover in time from being electrocuted to cut off your watch. But he wasn't exactly steady seeing as his whole body was twitching from the after-effects. I...well I couldn't even begin to think. Omi was in shock. So, as all this happened, your wrist was sliced open because Aya claims the watch was too thin so he cut way too deep. That's when it started snowing—"

"Are you fucking making this all up, Ken, come on! I was being serious..."

"I am serious!"

"He's serious. It was snowing..." Omi added from the corner.

"Nami was making it snow... because your skin was burning. You should be glad you don't have any ugly scars. No girl would come near you then. Anyway… then we came back here. Sakura is dead, but the mission was a success... I went to make sure our security system worked out, and it did. So everything's fine except...yeah."

"Wow, Ken, didn't think you had it in you to pay attention so well." Yohji smirked, changing the subject fast. "I wonder if I should call her now…or wait. I think I might just go lie down..."

By the end of the story, Aya was pleased that the attention was drawn away from him, so he sunk to the kitchen floor to sit and observe. He no longer had the energy to hold himself steady anymore.

"I'm calling for takeout now. Taking orders," Ken declared, ignoring Yohji's musings.

"French toast with blueberry syrup, pleeease!" Omi chimed, seeming to act at least a little more like his old self.

"Anything else? Rani?"

"Pancakes with strawberries on top!" Rani chimed in, kneeling by her brother. "What do you want, Aya?"

Yohji left the kitchen and by the time he got to the top of the stairs, his head was spinning a million miles an hour. He had to grab the railing to avoid hitting the ground. Once it had passed a little, he made it to his bed and collapsed onto it and closed his eyes.

Aya opened his eyes, a sour look on his face. "Nothing."

Rani rolled her eyes and looked at Ken. "Will you get double of my order? In case someone gets hungry." She looked back at Aya, wrinkling her nose.

"Okay will do." Ken dialed the number and went in the other room to avoid the noise.

Aya shut his eyes.

"Well, I'll be upstairs if anyone needs me," Omi said with a smile. He instantly raced up the stairs and turned on his computer, plopping down onto his chair.

After about 20 minutes or so, Yohji roused from sleep and reached for his cell phone. Blindly, he dialed a number and listened to it ring.

Shayla paused from directing the movers where to take her things when she heard her computer beep at her. Someone was online. She smiled and started to type when she saw it was Omi. **Well, hello there!**

Omi brightened. So she was on! **Hey! How are you?  
**

Nami brushed the tears from her eyes and paused the movie, reaching for her phone. "Hello?"

"Hey..." Yohji murmured into the phone, his voice sounding scratchy and like he had just woken up from sleeping for a year even though it had been such a short amount of time.

**I'm tired, but well. How are you, mate?**

**A friend that used to work with me...she died. Have you ever had anyone close to you die? **

Nami paused, trying to recognize the voice. "...Yohji?"

"Yeah. Nami, I'm sorry about this morning. Can you forgive me? Obviously I wasn't thinking straight. I don't even know if I am now, but..."

"…but what?" Nami shifted uneasily on the couch, wondering what he would say next.

**Oh no. I'm really sorry.** Shayla sighed. That was tough. **My granny died about a year ago. We were really close... she was all the family I really had left. It was hard at first. It gets easier though.**

**Oh...I'm sorry****. I see. It was my fault she died. **

**Did you kill her? **

**NO! You think I'd be capable of that? **

**Of course I don't. But if you didn't kill her, it's not your fault she's dead. **

**...I guess so **

**Don't beat yourself up over her death. Mourn her if you must. But more importantly, celebrate that she lived. Shayla chuckled. That's what we Irish do. That's what everyone should do. **

Omi leaned back in his computer chair and shut his eyes lightly, sighing. That's right, she was exactly right. Even if he had caused the whole situation, it was that maniac that killed her. Who would have guessed that anyone could have the nerve to kill such an innocent girl... Then again, most people Omi encountered had the sort of complex that would draw blood from even a baby rabbit. Humans were vile things... That lawyer taught him a lot. Justice was something that was needed, but the law could never capture everyone. What was needed was action...and as Weiss, they were given the ability to do so. Sakura...she loved Aya. And even though last night would haunt him forever, he would use her memory to prevent anyone from losing something important to them. He would protect them all!

"That was real heroic of you—I heard. It would make any man feel pathetic—to be saved by a girl. Though it's too bad, I like my girls like that." He smothered his face in his pillow and heaved a deep sigh, Asuka's image flashing behind his eyelids. "I knew a girl once...she was just like you. She saved my ass countless times and can you believe it, she never let me save her once!" He rolled over onto his back and flapped an arm over his eyes. "Nami, don't end up like her."

Nami sighed and looked at the paused movie for maybe a little enlightenment. {How am I supposed to not end up like her if I don't know how she ended up?} She tapped her fingers against her leg, trying to think of a good way to respond. After a few seconds, she spoke. "I can't make any promises. But I'm sure having the saving-roles reversed would be nice." She smiled faintly. "How are you feeling?"

Shayla waited a few minutes, just staring at her computer screen. "Hm..." She shrugged her shoulders and typed. **You alright over there?**

**Oh! Yeah. Sorry, I was spacing out. I think our breakfast is coming soon. Sorry I don't have a lot of time to talk today. A lot's happened. **

**That'****s quite alright. Understandable considering the circumstances.** Shayla shook her head with a smile. **I should forewarn you, I won't be online for a couple weeks. I'll be... out of town. **

**Oh wow****! That's not fair. Maybe I should stay on for a little longer then. I can heat it up later.**

Yohji smiled beneath his arm. "Like I got hit by a steam roller, you?"

Nami chuckled. "Better than you, apparently."

"Good because steam rollers are dangerous. Stay away from them."

"Can do." Nami couldn't help but laugh. Yohji had this way of just making her smile. "You should rest, Yohji."

"I can't rest until you are back in my arms."

**You can go eat if you need to. I don't want to keep you from everyone. You'll probably be so busy ****you'll never notice I've gone.**

**You kidding? Who else am I going to complain to? **

**Send me terribly long e-mails. That'll be kind of the same. **

**Are you sure? It might take you a month to read them all. **

Nami couldn't help but laugh again. "I think you'll survive without me. I don't sleep with guys after the first date. Saving lives is a one-time sleeping deal. You're gonna have to try harder than that."

"Damn. Fine, I'll go look for a steam roller."

Nami laughed, snuggling deeper into her niche in the couch. "Good luck finding one." She paused and took a deep breath. {Here goes nothing.} "I think there might be one around my apartment, if you're really that desperate."

**I'll do the best I can.**Shayla laughed, wiping a tear from her eye, she was laughing so hard. Boy, would HE be surprised

**Well, have fu****n...I'll miss you, Shayla.**

"Awww~" Shayla smiled. **I'll miss you too, Omi.**

"You know I'd be there in a flash if I could see straight. At this point...I don't even know where my keys are. Ken might have stolen them. He does that sometimes..." Yohji breathed into the phone after gauging how he really felt.

Nami sighed silently, but kept the smile in her voice. {Well, at least he's still interested. Which is good.} "Then just get some rest for now. You can search for a steam roller when you're feeling better."

"And unlike you...I not a fan of the rain." He smiled and sat up a little. "I'll call you as soon as I can."

"I'll keep that in mind." Nami smiled, reaching for the remote on the coffee table. "Take care, Yohji."

And with that, Omi reluctantly signed off and trudged back down the stairs. "You guys really like the kitchen, huh?"

Shayla sighed a little and shut down her laptop, closing it. She then looked around the hotel room as the last of her boxes left to arrive at her new home. It was nearly time. She smiled.

"Shut up, Omi. I'm busy here," Ken raged.

Rani giggled and looked at Omi, whispering, "He's messed up the order like five times already."

"Ken...Here, let me do it." Omi rolled his eyes and reached out for the phone that Ken was clutching.

"NO I'M DOING IT," he demanded, scurrying away to the corner. "Ah…yes...well, no, sorry! I'm really sorry, but I meant strawberry not blueberry for the two orders of pancakes. Yeah... okay thanks. Bye." He sighed and collapsed onto the counter. "Why me..."

Rani couldn't help but giggle again. She was sitting on the floor next to her rather grumpy brother. "Ooooonii-saaaaaaaaaaan…"

Aya cracked an eye open. "What?"

Rani grinned at him. "Hi."

He scowled. "Hi."

"You'll feel better once you've eaten. Promise." Rani smiled and snuggled up against him, resting her head on his shoulder. She really had missed her brother last night.

Aya said nothing; he merely shut his eyes again and leaned into her silently. He didn't need words.

_To be continued..._


	7. There and Back Again

**Author's Note**: It's fall! My favorite season~ Although I'm taking 19 credits this semester and killing myself so I can graduate in May, I still find paradise in writing. I hope you guys do too. Shout out to Andrea for being awesome! REVIEW~

{...} = thoughts

**Bold** = Typing

CAPS = English

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**Chapter Six**:

Hoshi groaned and rolled over at the sound of her alarm clock. Reaching blindly for her bedside table, she hit the button with a satisfied sigh. She threw off the covers as the black screens across her windows started to rise. She smiled, stretching as she walked over to the large surrounding windows. Her penthouse was full of them. She lived in one of the tallest apartment complexes in the city on the very top floor. Sure, it had cost her an arm and a leg, but it was worth it to be this close to the sky. She left her bedroom and pushed another button on the wall outside the door, watching the rest of the screens throughout the living room/kitchen open. Then she heard it again: a knock on the door. Sighing, she walked over, pulling the two large doors open.

Shayla stood on the other side, surrounded by various boxes and bags. "Hoshi?" She smiled and hopped from foot to foot. The journey from her hotel room had been fast and luckily, the movers arrived with her things at the same time she did. She still looked a bit jetlagged, considering she had only arrived in Japan the day before.

"You must be Shayla. Welcome." Hoshi smiled, gesturing backwards at her apartment. "My home is your home. Let's get your stuff inside. There's a room set up for you. I hope you don't mind a little sunlight." She laughed grabbing a box and carrying it in, to the opposite side of the apartment where the guest bedroom was. She pushed the button on the wall with her elbow as she came in, letting the screens in there open as well. "First button is for the screens, second is for the lights. Your bathroom is to the left. Not much else in here that you haven't seen. There's a balcony that comes out of the living room."

Shayla grabbed some stuff and followed, nodding. "Sounds great." The two of them worked steadily until all the stuff was in the bedroom. Shayla turned to Hoshi with a smile. "I'm going to unpack and shower. But I have a very important question for you."

"Yeah?"

"I need to find a certain flower shop."

Aya was certainly not planning to fall asleep on the kitchen floor that was for sure. Of course, neither was he planning on eating the breakfast that Rani ordered for him. They had spent the morning discussing what would happen next and Aya had been so exhausted afterwards that he hadn't budged. They had decided that they definitely needed extra hands in the shop...to take Sakura's place. Aya had winced at the sound of her name. He felt so powerless. Human life was something he saw so often fade away to nothing. It was as if they had never existed...their future gone without a trace.

Ken turned off the TV and glanced at Aya still in the kitchen, biting his lip to keep from laughing. How out of place! He wandered into his room and prepared himself for an onslaught of children. He even practiced smiling in the mirror. For the first time in a very long time, he couldn't find it in him to genuinely smile. It just...nothing felt right. On his way out, he slipped into Omi's room to see if he was awake. Seeing the boy asleep at his computer with a pile of electronic stuff tangled all over him, Ken decided to leave quietly. He slipped out the door and into the garage where he mounted his motorcycle and sped off to the soccer field.

Yohji awoke an hour after Ken left with a cellphone imprint on the side of his neck. He removed the device and sat up. Shower... was all that ran through his head. Once he emerged, he attempted to re-bandage his wrist and failed epically. Silently, he wandered around looking for assistance. Ken was gone, obviously something to do with soccer. Omi was definitely nowhere. Aya... was— WORK? Yohji had a mini heart attack and ran down the stairs, down more stairs, and through the door. It burst open to reveal dripping wet playboy hair, lack of sunglasses, and no shirt. The screams nearly blew out his ear drums. "Shhhiiiiiiit~~" He yelped and shut the door to avoid being tackled. He sat heavily on the stairs, panting. No...he—he he could just survive without a bandage. His wrist was fine...it was fine.

Omi danced around the millions of girls, looking somewhat aggravated. He ran a hand through his sweaty hair. Without Sakura...without Sakura even this was hard. When Yohji half burst into the shop, Omi's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to tell the older man to get the hell back inside. It seemed Yohji caught the drift before he could put it to words. Thank god. He didn't need another one ending up like Aya. He felt for their leader though...Even if the redhead loved hiding everything and forced himself to overdo everything, still, this was a little much. But there was no way in hell Omi could have handled this alone. And Ken had an all-day Soccer game that he left for bright and early in the morning, so he wouldn't be back until late. They were screwed—SCREWED! Omi had voiced his objection to work, but Aya...Aya... he just had to prove to everyone that everything was okay. His obsession with work Omi had thought came from his sister's hospital bill, but clearly that was no longer necessary—so why? Maybe it was a habit...?

Rani bounced down the stairs past the half-naked Yohji with a giggle. She slipped through the door in the shop, working her way through the crowds of girls to where Omi stood. "Hiya Omi, need some help?"

Ken pulled into the parking lot and left his bike parked crookedly without a care. He dashed to the kids that were already gathered there. "Sorry I'm a little late. Traffic is annoying. Well, then let's start stretching." He watched his kids mimic the motions he had taught them almost half a year ago and smiled a little. Yes! Practicing in the mirror has paid off a little! He raised a fist and cackled. When he was given weird looks he said, "Well, aren't you excited? I can't be more excited than you guys, ne?" They seemed to gain more energy after that and he began reading off their positions. The game started soon after. Ken was a maniac on the sidelines; he mouth was never closed. "Go get them! Pass it! Yes, now bring it down the side, gooo!" Within no time, they had scored three goals and the half-time whistle blew.

Aya was so out of it that he didn't even notice his sister's presence or Yohji's. The shrieks registered as normal high school girl behavior and were waved off as nothing. He closed his eyes half way and rested his head on his arms at the register. No one was buying anything at the moment... It pissed him off a little. It was a half an hour since someone bought something. It was annoying. He didn't have the energy to move.

"Aahh~ Ranichan! Thank you! We need it desperately. Can you go ask people if they need anything? I need to clear this place out a little... Yohji just caused havoc." Omi shot her a soft smile and then rushed away to get some flowers for an elderly woman who was beaming at all the bright colors.

Rani grinned. "Sure!" She started going around, asking politely what people wanted. She really hoped the commotion would die down. It was crazy!

She moved through the people in the stands and towards the benches where the children were gathered. She had dressed down; probably best to keep things informal for now. In blue jeans, sneakers, and a Bayern Munich soccer jersey, she was ready. Her green hair was pulled back in a ponytail and a small bag was slung over her shoulder. She gently passed through the kids to reach the brunette. "Excuse me? Hidaka Ken?"

"Eh?" Teal eyes raised from the soccer ball he was studying and to...green! He blinked a few times. "Who?" He blinked again, trying to adjust to the random spurt of color. He managed to regain his composure. "That's right. I'm Ken."

Hoshi shot him a brilliant smile and extended her hand. "Zora Hoshi. Tokyo Times."

"Ah?" Ken looked even more surprised, but took her hand, shaking it. "Nice to meet you Hoshizora." He bowed slightly and then turned a quick eye to his kids who were busy plotting their victory. He turned back to her and smiled. "Uh, what can I help you with?"

Hoshi smiled. "I'm a sports writer at the Times. I was hoping I could ask you a few questions regarding the proposal to join the professional leagues again?"

"Wh-What…? PROPOSAL? I had no idea… Are you kidding me? You're kidding me. I hate pranks."

Hoshi blinked a few times, laughing. "Hidaka-san, how often do you check your mail?"

"Never. Don't need to; it's all junk." Realization hit him and he frowned. "I guess it's not anymore..."

Hoshi did her best not to laugh. They did say at the paper that he would be a little absent-minded. She pulled a business card out of her bag and handed it to him. "Check your mail, and then call me." She smiled at him and turned to go.

"Ah! Wait a second," he said, taking the card. "We usually just throw out all our mail. I'm almost positive that it's gone... Aaa what should I do?" Ken was so mixed up. Everything in his life was just so crazy. There was NO WAY he could keep track of so much shit.

Hoshi turned back, slightly puzzled. {Throw out all their mail? What about bills?} She shrugged to herself before responding. "Well, you can call the league asking for more details. You can always fake that you received the letter." She smiled. "It's all a matter of whether or not you want to join the league."

"Hah, I wonder what made them change their mind after so many years..." Ken crossed his arms and bowed again to her. "It was nice meeting you. Thank you for telling me." Inside he was shaking—a small horror slowly overtaking his mind. What was he going to do now...? For the rest of the game, he was silent. Some people were shocked by this sudden change; even a few of his kids asked what was wrong. He didn't know what to say, so he told them the truth. They were as amazed as he was. What was going on? A trap? Why did everything have to be suspicious though?

Hoshi smiled and murmured "Nice meeting you as well." She turned and walked away, headed home. {I really hope I get my story…}

Around 3 pm, Shayla decided to leave Hoshi's apartment and go to the flower shop. She bounced out of the building in blue jeans, a white camisole and dark green polo shirt, her dark red hair in a long braid down her back. She smiled as she walked, taking in the sights and sounds of this entirely new place. Her new home. Her silver flats seemed to glimmer as she approached the shop. She stood off to one side, not exactly entering yet. She had noticed that the commotion had died down. It was a lot busier than she had noticed earlier. Only a few small groups of girls remained.

Omi shot Aya a look of pure apology. He really didn't want to force the redhead to work today, but... Hey, at least most of the girls were gone. He swore this place was like a high school girl hang out where gossip was shared and such. He ran fingers through his semi-sweaty hair and paced back to the wave petunias he was trimming with a pair of rusty scissors.

Shayla's smile grew as she saw someone very near her own age, towards the back of the shop. She paced silently into the shop and towards the golden-haired boy. She came to a stop just behind him and spoke rather brightly, an obvious Irish lilt in her voice. "Oy, Omi!"

He turned around somewhat surprised, a little confused. As his mind attempted to function, he caught sight of her. His pupils turned into nothing and he dropped the scissors to the ground. "Sh—Shayla?"

Shayla grinned, stepping back and making a dramatic pose. "Surprise!"

"You were coming to Japan? NO WAY!" He lunged at her and gave her a big hug and then pulled away a little. "Sorry, I hope you didn't mind. I was just so excited."

Shayla laughed and gave him a big hug in return. "I don't mind at all." She stepped back and looked down and attempted to look sheepish. "I lied though."

"No, no it was a good lie! Oh! Are you hungry or anything?" He looked at his watch and frowned. "Ah, what I mean is do you want tea or something?" He shot a glance at Aya. "We were going to close early anyway."

"Tea would be lovely, I think." She winked at him and tapped the side of her nose. "I meant lying as in this is a vacation. It isn't. I've moved to Japan. I've been here since yesterday."

...There was a brief pause. "EH! You MOVED to Japan? Like moved?" Omi stared at her a moment and then grinned. "It's like a dream."

"Oi, Omi who gave you permission to decide we're closing early?" Aya asked in a deep voice, his crucial eyes staring coldly down at the girl. "Who is she."

Nami bounced into the flower shop shortly after Aya spoke. She was in one of her cheerier moods, for whatever the reason. She realized that she had just spoken to Yohji earlier that morning, but she couldn't help but want to see him again. He had sounded horrible on the phone... She looked at Omi and Aya and smiled a little. "Hi!"

Michelle trailed in after Nami, looking a little under the weather. She stood off to one side, quiet. Nami had dragged her from her house, begged her to come to the flower shop. She wasn't exactly feeling up to it, but she did want to get more lily-of-the-valley. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

Due to Nami's sudden appearance, Omi was saved from Aya. He grinned at her. "Nami! Good afternoon~ Yohji's inside... he might still be getting over the incident this morning, but go ahead in if you want."

Shayla grinned and winked at Omi, poking at him playfully in the arm. "And what kind of dreams have you been havin', mate?" She then spun on her heel, waving her hand in a single large motion. "Shayla Ross, recently of Buncrana, Ireland. You must be Aya. Pleased to make yer aquaintance."

...There was a brief pause. "Omi..." Aya hissed, his eyes seeming to glow briefly. This day had started out with him in an awful mood and now it was only getting worse. "What have you been hiding?" He brushed passed the girl and got closer to Omi, his eyes fierce. "We have enough problems as it is."

Yohji threw another soda can at the wall and turned up the volume again, a bored expression seemingly stained onto his face. He felt so dead. He just wanted to lie around and do nothing. Even the countless movies he used to waste time with were proving unsuccessful. He shot a glance at his phone and then looked back at the TV. Nah...it wouldn't be fair to Nami to see him like this.

Nami glanced at Omi and smiled. {Such a nice kid.} "Thanks Omi!" She threw a smile back at Michelle before she went through the door. She wandered ever so quietly in the house, coming upon Yohji in the living room. She did her best to stifle a giggle. He just looked so...unkempt. Positively adorable.

"I—uh—she just...That's not fair Aya!" Omi put his hands on his hips and then took Shayla's wrist, lightly pulling her out of the flower shop and up the stairs to the kitchen. "It's Aya. If you ignore him he eventually goes away...But then he comes back later..."

Shayla smiled and shrugged her shoulders, grabbing a seat in the kitchen. "No worries mate. Everyone has a bad day sometimes."

Yohji's eyes moved to the side when he heard someone approaching but trying to be quiet about it. He blinked boredly and then looked back at the screen. When it dawned on him, he jolted upwards and turned his head to clearly see...Nami. Completely caught off guard, Yohji had no catch phrases prepared. "...Na-..." Fail.

Michelle, still in the flowershop, stepped forward somewhat hesitantly, although when she spoke her voice was cool and quiet. "You're too fast to accuse him; he's done nothing wrong but make a friend." She then continued as if she had not said it, her voice now at a normal volume and tone. "I was hoping you still had the lily-of-the-valley."

Aya's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms, tilting his head a little. Now it was another girl. "You know nothing, how would you understand?" He let a scowl take over his face and took a step towards the garage door to close the shop and kick the mingling high school girls out. Then he heard her next words and froze, remembering. Wait...wasn't she the one who had been driving? He raised an eyebrow unconsciously. "No. They're out of season now. It was their last day hence the greenhouse."

Omi blushed. "Well, it's like this every time... but it's a good day...today."

"Ah, nah." Shayla grinned. "If you see the best in everyone, eventually it happens."

"True..." He tried to hide his face by looking away. "Ah! Right the tea...I almost forgot."

Nami couldn't help but giggle again, her eyes wrinkling around the corners, one hand covering her mouth. In between her laughter she managed to speak. "Hi, Yohji."

Yohji hid his face in a pillow. "You are a cruel, cruel woman!" He peeked out from it. "What, do you take enjoyment seeing my hair in every direction? I can understand being shirtless, but without my sunglasses too? That's just cruel..." He sulked.

Nami couldn't stop laughing. When she eventually calmed down, she sat down gingerly on the arm of the couch. "You really care too much about how you look, Yohji."

"Oh." Michelle murmured, sighing a little. She should've known that what she wanted would continuously be out of her reach. "Thank you." She turned quietly to go, trying her best not to look as sorrowful as she felt.

"Rose," Aya called after her, his face showing the faintest hints of a smile. "I think a rose suits you better."

"Hm...okay then commere." Yohji reached out his arms from where he laid back down and gave her his crooked smile. "We can be lazy-good-for-nothings together."

Nami attempted to look indignant, gasping. "Me? A good-for-nothing?" She stared at him for a minute before smiling and plopping down on the couch next to him. "I suppose I can make an exception for today."

"Not to worry, merely dying of thirst over here." Shayla laughed.

"You are? I'm so sorry!" Omi rushed over to fill the pot with water and set it to boil. "What kind of tea do you like? We have Aya's kind and Ken's kind. And like a few mixed kinds." He emptied the box onto the table, motioning for her to pick one.

Shayla grinned and closed her eyes. She waved her hand over the table a few times before randomly grabbing a bag. Opening her eyes, she handed it to Omi. "This one."

"Uwaa no way. That one is the kind I like the best." He smiled and handed her a mug that he grabbed from the shelf. "I hate waiting for water to boil..."

Yohji made a dying sound and pretended his eyes were rolling back. "I think you're crushing my legs! Move closer~"

Nami grinned and shifted closer to him so he was a little more comfortable. "Better?"

"No. I'm dying. Need..." He pretended to die again, this time he stopped breathing, and held out his arms for her. "Come..." He whispered, his dying breath.

Nami giggled and shuffled a little closer to him. "Oh no. Don't diiiiiiie."

Yohji made a pouting face. "If dead people can be made to pout, you've achieved it."

Michelle turned back, smiling faintly. "A rose? Why?" She was intrigued by his statement, almost as much as the whisper of a smile on his face.

"No reason," Aya stated simply and continued on his way to the garage door. "If you want to join your friend, you're welcome to." He turned towards the people remaining. "If you're not buying anything then get out. We're closing now." There were some: 'Aw Aya-kun is so mean sometimes~~' and soon everyone was gone.

Rani helped Aya to close up the shop and then with a wave to her brother, she dashed inside into the kitchen. She stopped short, seeing the girl sitting at the table. "Um. Hi!"

Shayla smiled at the newcomer. "Hi!"

The water finally boiled and those seven minutes were an eternity of listening to the girls talk. He watched her eyes move and the expressions on her face as she replied and answered all of Rani's questions as well as asking her own. He hadn't really been listening to what exactly they were saying though. He felt so captivated and he didn't understand how one single person could draw him in so completely. He poured the tea into their cups and played with the spoons until the water had grown dark. "It's done~" He beamed, taking a sip from his. "Aa—hot though."

Shayla smiled and took her mug, letting it sit on the table in front of her for a few minutes before taking a sip. "Mmm, delicious. I love a good cup of tea." She had enjoyed talking with Rani, learning a little more about Omi and his roommates. She had been a little vague in some instances, but it was all right. She would learn everything at some point or another.

Michelle stood somewhat awkwardly in the flower shop, now alone with Aya. She sighed silently. Whatever reason he said roses for, she did need some fresh flowers. Since the lily-of-the-valley, she'd had a desire for fresh flowers in the house. "I know you just said you're closed, but would you mind making a bouquet for me?" She averted her gaze to the various flowers around the shop. She couldn't understand her nervousness; she had helped save him and now she was lost as to what to do.

Aya stared at her briefly before disappearing somewhere in the back. It only took a few moments for him to prepare a makeshift bouquet. It was nothing for a wedding, but he thought it suited her. A mixture of roses—a mesh of colors confluencing from light purple, to a deep pink. And around that gradient of soft colors was a single white rose. But only if she were to look closely, would she see it. He wrapped it in the special clear wrapping with a whip of his hand and a staple with the other, saying nothing of the price. He handed it to her and opened the door out of the shop. "Are you coming?"

_To be continued..._


	8. Exploding Accusations

**Author's Note**: Hope you guys like this chapter! Finally we find a little out about Michelle. Aya and Yohji fight? REVIEW!

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**Chapter Seven:  
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Rani had been watching Omi as she and Shayla chatted. He himself had been watching Shayla on and off, sometimes rather intensely. She smirked and stood, "I'm going to go, hm…read. Yup." Giggling she ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs she set herself down on the couch in the hallway to read.

Omi nodded, smiling. "So-so how do you like it in Japan so far? Is it really different? I've never left the country. I've hardly even left Tokyo...well—that's because of work and school though."

Shayla laughed. "I don't know… I've only been in Japan since yesterday, although I was mostly in my hotel. But it's very different from Ireland. Very different from Buncrana."

"Hahaha that sounds weird when you say it out loud! I should show you around tomorrow. It's our extremely rare day off...but we have work the day after... so I won't be able to see you too much." Omi's expression turned to something really sad and then he looked away. Did he really deserve to be this happy after Sakura...had died? What will her parents do...her friends at school...?

Nami laughed at Yohji's 'dead person pout,' gazing down at him with a smile. "Well, good."

Yohji sighed. He appeared to look defeated when all of a sudden he sat up, grabbed her gently, and wrapped his arms half around her shoulders and half around her waist. His warm breath brushed against her neck where he rested his head and closed his eyes. "I never got to thank you properly...for caring so much about me. I really don't deserve it."

Nami smiled, settling back against Yohji with a small sigh. She closed her eyes, just taking in the feeling of being in his arms. "Of course you deserve it. Everyone does."

"Tell me... what do you think?" Yohji asked softly, his emerald eyes serious for once. "Who do you think I am...?" He paused for a small amount of time. "Or what..."

Shayla smiled faintly, her eyes turning a little sad. "You're thinking about your friend, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Omi said, sticking his tongue out a little. "It just bothers me, that's all. But I really want to show you around. I don't know _that_ many places, but..."

"Of course it does, but don't let it destroy your life, yeah?" She smiled brightly. "Well, we'll see where you know and then get ourselves lost so we _both_ see new places!"

Omi blushed. See new places together…alone with Shayla? "It will be dubbed: the Omi empire of Tokyo."

Shayla laughed. "All about Omi, eh?"

"I don't know...it would sound too girly; no one would take our military force seriously. And you'd probably make everyone wear pink uniforms or something..." Omi said in a fake-serious tone. He gave a small laugh and shifted in his chair, putting his elbows on the table and resting his head on his hands. "Shayla's country—country of the beautiful woman."

Shayla laughed, turning the slightest shade of pink. "Nooo, I wouldn't do anything like that." She finished off her mug of tea and stood with a yawn. "I'm afraid I must be off though. I need to finish unpacking and then sleep off all this jet lag. I can give you the number of the house I'm staying at, so you can call me about tomorrow?"

"Please!" Omi said, smiling. "Why don't you just call me tonight when you finish unpacking and everything that way I won't worry about waking you up." He reached into a drawer for a piece of paper and a pen, scribbling down a number and handing it to her. "This is my cellphone. If you want, I'll give you the shop number too."

Shayla smiled. "I think your cell phone is just fine. I'll call you later tonight then." She jotted down Hoshi's home number before she gave Omi a quick hug. "Bye Omi!" She was out of the kitchen and out the door before Omi could do anything in response, save for a slight wave.

Omi turned and fled to his room, heaving a deep sigh as he fiddled with a pencil over his abandoned keyboard. He no longer needed to wait for Shayla to sign on... He could simply just call her. He held his cellphone out like a piece of gold, wishing he could call her even though she had just left. Ken would be returning soon... He glanced nonchalantly at the clock with a troubled expression. Actually the soccer freak was late for once... Well, maybe the game went into overtime or something. Omi began surfing the web for news that may possibly lead to a new mission with a bored expression etched into his features.

Michelle smiled faintly and murmured a thank you as he handed her the bouquet of roses. She seemed slightly surprised when she heard Aya invite her again into the house. She hesitated for a moment, puzzled. She wanted to go inside and yet she didn't. She knew she was off-kilter, but she was still so intrigued. Not only by this man, but also by the roses in her hands. "Sure..." She walked cautiously forward, walking past him and in the doorway.

Aya followed her up the stairs and past the kitchen, past the scene happening on the couch in the family room, and up more stairs into a sort of lounge area in the hallway outside their bedrooms. He found Rani there without effort. He figured this was the safest place for now. "You can spy on them from up here if you wish," Aya said. Then his demeanor completely changed. He turned to his sister and pulled on a piece of her beautiful hair, examining it before letting it fall back to her. His tone of voice also made a complete transformation. He softened, his eyes a crystal blue. "That's my favorite book you know—don't spill anything on it."

Michelle looked at Aya slightly confused. "I didn't want to spy… I just needed to talk to Nami for a minute." She stood off to the side though as Aya turned to the girl on the couch. She smiled faintly at the tenderness that was now apparent on his face and in his tone. She made to go back to the family room down the steps.

Rani chuckled and looked up at her brother. "I promise I won't!" She smiled and stood, poking at her brother's arm with a giggle before she disappeared into her room with the book in hand. She smiled at Michelle as she passed. Interesting that her brother had brought a girl in the house. With a shrug, she half-shut her door and plopped down on her bed, ready to delve into the book again.

"Aa," Aya said without any apparent care or concern. He watched her leave, knowing Yohji would probably kill her for ruining his moment with that girl... that girl who could control the weather—the girl who had no means of knowing where they were and yet was still able to find them...

Nami sighed, opening her eyes. "I think you're Yohji Kudou and I care about you despite the fact that I've only known you a few days. That's about all I know for sure. The rest is a blank until you fill the void."

Yohji's lips straightened a little and he loosened his grip on her. Slowly, he pulled away to look her in the eyes. "You really have no idea why we were in an abandoned soccer stadium with a lunatic murderer or...why Aya killed him?"

Nami blinked, looking equally serious. "Your friend was in trouble. I was there when she was taken; I was there when you had your phone call." She faltered and looked down. "I—I wanted to help."

Michelle walked down the stairs, stopping quietly at the entrance to the family room. She didn't say a word, merely listening to Nami respond to whatever Yohji had said. But considering what she was saying, she was guessing that they were talking about last night. {This isn't going to be good.}

"That's right, Yohji. She wanted to help so she could get closer to you." Aya came up from behind Michelle and took steps to bring him closer to them. "She can make it snow, Yohji. She has powers just like ESSET and Schwarz. She one of _them_ and how do you think she found us? She couldn't have tapped our phone lines; Omi's always checking." Aya's eyes narrowed, glowing a deadly violet color. "She's trying to infiltrate Weiss." Aya hissed. All of his thinking as his head pounded and his body ached from the previous wound and the electricity the other night had brought him to this final conclusion. He was fully prepared for anything, those icy eyes of his blazing at every corner of the room. Then suddenly it hit him. His eyes widened and he stared at Michelle and her roses. She could be one of _them_too. The shock that hit him was surprising. He had never even considered it until that moment...

Yohji instantly stood up. "Not this again, Aya! Why do you have to suspect _everyone_!" He looked at Nami. "She can't be. It's impossible. I _know_ her."

"Just like you _knew_ Neu?"

Rage seeped into him instantly, his blood boiling, his eyes shaking, his body quivering. He lunged himself at Aya and nailed him in the face. He watched the blood drip from his leader's chin and was amazed to see that Aya has made no effort to move.

Aya wiped the blood from his chin, his head spinning. He grabbed Yohji by the collar and tilted his head to the side in sheer anger. "She was an enemy, but you kept saying she was Asuka. Is this girl Asuka too?"

"No!" Yohji shrieked. "You're wrong! She isn't! She's Nami and she would never do anything to hurt us! She saved our lives, remember?"

"She's trying to trick you. You're blind!" Aya hissed, shoving Yohji into the wall and holding him there tightly.

Michelle grew deathly pale as Aya made his accusation. She swayed on her feet, trying to stay up. She could feel it coming again. And she knew deep in her gut that this was going to be far worse from before. It was here. "Oh no," she whispered.

Nami stood up as Yohji hit Aya. She could feel her anger building and fought desperately to keep it under control. "STOP IT!" She shouted, as the air in the room became heavy. She opened her mouth to say more, but then saw Michelle. "Oh no!" She pushed Aya off of Yohji. "STOP IT! Both of you! We're not bad people!" She shouted this as she dived for Michelle when she began to crumble, holding her and bringing her down to the floor. "Michelle, Michelle! Talk to me, girl!"

The bouquet of roses fell to the floor as well. She would've hit the ground hard if Nami had not of caught her. She looked at Nami, fear in her eyes as she began to shake uncontrollably. "He—...help. O—…o—ut."

"..." Aya licked his split lip.

Yohji froze and stared blankly, not really registering anything.

Nami looked at the two men pleadingly, lowering her voice from a shout to a quiet plea. "I don't understand what you're accusing us of, Aya. But we're not who you think we are. Yeah, I control weather. It's my gift. And Michelle... she's gifted too. She's a witch. And she's getting a new power. And if I don't get her out of here soon, we could all die." She looked from the two of them, tears in her eyes. "Please."

"...Do what you wish." The redhead turned away and headed up the stairs.

Yohji snapped out of his daze. He _was_a man of action; he couldn't just stand there. Without thinking, he grabbed Michelle under her arms and heaved her up to her feet. He swept her into his arms and headed for the door in a rush. "Wh—where? Where, Nami?"

"Head towards the outskirts of the city, there's a forest nearby. And hurry!" Nami followed Yohji, stopping only for a second to scoop up the flowers on the floor. A few scattered white petals remained.

Michelle was breathing heavily, not even sure anymore what was happening. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead as she felt her control slipping. With a groan she struggled to keep it in check. She had to hold on for just a little while longer.

"Forest? We're in the middle of the city for god's sake! You want me to run 23 miles with her?" Yohji yelled back as he darted out the door anyway. On second thought... He released one of his hands somehow by balancing her on one knee and grabbed for the keys to whatever mode of transportation that was still hanging on the key rack in front of the front door. He barely managed to stop in front of... the pink flower delivery truck in which was the only vehicle the keys he held would match. "DAMMIT." He started the slow thing and sped off at 50 mph in a random direction. It was as fast as the poor thing could go. "Now where am I driving?" He asked as Nami ran up.

Nami couldn't have seen the humor in the car situation if she tried. She hopped into the van and wrapped her arms around Michelle, rocking her like a child. "Like I said. To the forest outside of the city. She lives near there. And the farther she is from civilization, the safer everyone is." She then focused all her attention onto Michelle, whispering to her. "Hold on, girl. Yohji will get us there as fast as he can. You can hold on until then."

Michelle nodded with a broken sob, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. Oh, this pain. It was nothing like she had ever experienced. She twisted her head from side to side, desperate to see something... anything to distract her from the pain. Her eyes fell on the bouquet of roses Nami had haphazardly thrown beside them. She stared at them, focusing all her attention on them.

"Shit," Yohji cursed again. Why did so much bad shit happen to him? Next thing he knew the damn sky would start raining knives. Vaguely, he wondered if Nami could do something like that... He shook off the thought as he and his pink truck shot onto the expressway, heading away from civilization and towards the only forest he knew around... Life sucked sometimes.

Aya stomped past Rani's makeshift room and kicked open the door to his own that was next to it. He flopped on his bed and then stared at the ceiling, contemplating his fate. How could people be so blind? They never realized that their own desires could cloud their judgment...

Rani looked up from her book, puzzled at the stomping noise. She placed the bookmark at her page and then closed it, setting it on her bed as she stood. She walked out of her room and peeked shyly into Aya's. "Oniisan?"

Aya shot his head to the side, violet eyes focused dully on his sister's. He didn't say anything, just stared in response, a frown flitting around on his lips.

She moved cautiously forward into the room, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Oniisan? Are you okay?"

Aya sighed. He could never manage to keep his state of mind around his sister. He was trying to be angry here! He managed a nod and then motioned for her to come over to him. "It's rough dealing with other people's baggage."

"Oh." She moved closer to her brother, curling up in a ball next to him. "Who?"

A loud thud blasted through the large apartment as Omi flew backwards and fell off his chair in disbelief. "WH-WHATTTT!" He jolted up from the floor and drew his eyes even closer to the computer screen than before. "Ken Hidaka asked to rejoin the Professional Soccer League?"

"Everyone..." Aya said in an exasperated voice, shutting his eyes and stretching his arms above his head. That was when he realized he still had blood wiped across his face. He quickly dapped at it with the back of his hand, hoping that Rani hadn't noticed. That was when he heard a loud thud and lifted his head to blink at the empty door way. Omi's voice filtered through the walls and surprise entered the redhead's eyes. Ken, Soccer league...again? Great...more problems.

Michelle felt the van moving along and knew when they had reached the forest. She shifted and attempted to rise.

Nami let go of Michelle and turned to Yohji, fear in her eyes. "Stop now! Here is far enough."

Yohji slammed on the brakes and turned to stare back at Nami, confused. What was the big deal anyway? Nami's friend passes out and instead of going to the hospital...they go to a forest. Meanwhile, she looks like she's in labor and then forces him to stop right off of the expressway. Lovely, fate was lovely. More like impossible to figure out. He turned the contraption off and exited via door, watching the two girls suspiciously. Maybe Aya was right... they were witches trying to kill them and Yohji was caught in the beautiful one's spell. Well, you didn't see him complaining...

Michelle stumbled off as soon as the van stopped and began to run headlong into the woods. She ran until the pain inside her caused her to fall, doubled over. She started to shake again, in terrible convulsions. She bit back a scream and felt her hands began to flex and unflex. She stared upwards in horror as she heard a large crack from the tree above her. She could do nothing but lay there as the tree branch broke and fell towards the earth where she was lying.

Nami climbed out of the van after Michelle, staring after her friend. She looked at Yohji with large, scared eyes and murmured "Whatever you do, don't go after her. You could die." Nami began to shake a little bit herself. "I can only handle so many people I care about getting hurt at one time." The wind picked up a little bit around Nami and clouds formed in the sky.

"Oh." Rani said in response to her brother's vague answer. She mentally shrugged her shoulders; clearly some things about her brother hadn't changed. He didn't like to talk about things. She was caught off guard by the loud thud and squeaked in surprise. She didn't hear what Omi had said completely and sat up, calling to him through the open door. "What did you say, Omi?"

Oh...Rani was in the next room. Aya's? Omi jumped from his screen and down the hallways to Aya's. "Ken... was asked to join the Professional Soccer League! He didn't even tell us!"

"Oh wow!" Rani looked excited, and a little bit confused. "Is that a good thing? ..Or a bad thing?"

"Bad," Aya coughed.

"Hey...I liked it better when it was sunny. Change it back!" Yohji whined, trying to lighten the obviously cloudy mood. He shifted nervously to lean against the overheated flowery machine and sighed. "Yeah...I actually don't have magical powers...so I wouldn't be able to go after her. But... I _can_ make the television go on when I've lost the remote!" That one was a knee-slapper. Yohji frowned visibly and ruffled the girl's hair softly to comfort her as best he could. He knew how it felt...especially when Ken had the habit of rushing into a fray of bullets without a plan.

Nami looked up at Yohji through tear-filled eyes, smiling a bit. The clouds slowly shifted away as she struggled to keep the weather straight. "I—I'm so sorry…to drag you into this. I just didn't know what else to do..."

"Damn. No encore? I guess I do suck." Yohji smiled and let his arm drop from her head around her shoulders. "No problem; I'm used to it..." He sighed again. "You sure we shouldn't...?"

As the branch drew closer, Michelle felt the pain again and this time could not hold back her scream. The branch exploded a few feet above her. She was hit with some flying pieces of the shattered branch, with cut up her face and arms. After the explosion there was complete silence. Michelle struggled to take in breath after breath, willing the strength to come back. The worst was over. She had gained her new power... now all she had to do was learn how to better control it.

"Good!" Omi turned to glare at Aya. "It's wonderful. After so many years, they're willing to re-look his case! And they want him back!"

"He's going to want to leave Weiss. He has no reason to be with us anymore." Aya sat up, a nasty glare shining through.

"Ken used to be a goalie for the professional league, but then he got set up with drugs in his water bottle by someone he had trusted and considered a close friend. He actually ended up being...one of our…uhm...targets. But anyway, once that was settled, Ken stayed with us because he couldn't belong...well, none of us could, but with this opportunity, it would be great for him I think!" Omi grinned, trying to neutralize the clearly dank mood lingering in Aya's humble abode.

"Well, even if he has to leave Weiss… that doesn't mean you still can't be friends." Despite being a teenager, in some ways Rani still thought simply like a child. Maybe it had something to do with her coma, but she didn't always see the various shades of gray—just the black and white.

Nami shook her head. "It's very dangerous... getting a new power. At least that's what Michelle tells me. Mine... well, it just kind of showed up. But hers... apparently they develop. And each one is more terrible to endure than the last. She has to face the trial on her own... otherwise people around her could be hurt. Even she can get hurt by it." She leaned gratefully into Yohji. Whatever accusations Aya had made, Nami was very glad Yohji was there with her now.

Yohji blinked. He just couldn't really grasp it and it was very difficult for him to feel any sympathy over it. ..._Very_. Considering what they had gone through and dealing with the various 'special powers,' Yohji just hated anything to do with it—which also included his own power. Now that he saw what it was capable of... Yohji really didn't think it was so cool anymore. "What was she like some escapee from ESSET or something?" Yohji's frown deepened. It didn't make sense...people didn't just _develop_ powers...

"ESSET?" Nami shook her head, putting out the thought. "She's a witch from a long line. They were powerful where she comes from. But something made them weak—destroyed them. There are more people than you would think with gifts." She shrugged her shoulders. "Not millions, but enough to make a difference. It's how you use the gift that defines you. Michelle is a good witch. And, well, so am I. Although I wouldn't consider myself a witch..." She muttered the last bit with a chuckle.

"Witch...as in flying broom? Black cats?" Yohji blinked, reaching for his missing sunglasses. It was a depressing occurrence: grabbing at air for something that wasn't there. "That's creepy. So I'll go to the food store one day and all of a sudden all the fruits will start floating around! Then I'll look to the front and find that the manager is just reordering them for consumer's ease!"

Nami shook her head with a sigh. "No... you're thinking too mass media." She closed her eyes, beginning to rub her temples. {This guy is pretty dense.} Her eyes snapped open as she heard movement from the woods. She shifted away from Yohji to come to the edge of the trees.

Michelle appeared in a moment near Nami. She looked exhausted, barely noticing the small trickle of blood running down from her face from a cut on her temple. She smiled wanly. "I'm okay, Nami. I'm going to walk the rest of the way home." She squeezed her friend's hand and walked slowly towards the van. She looked down at the bouquet of roses and sighed heavily. She stooped to pick it up and turned to Yohji. "Thank you." She turned and went back into the forest, walking just within the tree line. Her home wasn't too far and she knew all the shortcuts. Plus, it was safer in case her powers decided they weren't ready to be under control.

Yohji blinked at her and shrugged, putting his arms behind his head and putting more weight onto the sad excuse for a vehicle behind him. "Too mass media...then wha—"

"I'll explain it to you later." Nami almost snapped, looking a little stressed. She immediately looked sheepish and shifted her gaze warily to the ground. "Um. Yohji… I know… before you mentioned that you needed, well, a steam roller..." She mentally shook herself. {Suck it up, girl!} She looked at Yohji full-on, her eyes bright even though she still looked extremely uncomfortable. "Look, Yohji. Will you come back to my apartment with me?"

_To be continued..._


	9. Nothing but a Towel and Bad News

**Author's Note: **Schwarz should be coming in soon... (Finally)! Let's get some evil in here!

* * *

**Chapter Eight**:

Yohji turned from watching the strange witch girl stalk off into the forest with her roses. He didn't even feel a 'you're welcome' from him would be acceptable. Shivering, he pushed off from the pink thing and watched Nami closely. "I hope you're not planning on committing lover's suicide with me, cause I got work tomorrow," Yohji said lazily, opening the driver's door with a screech. He really needed to get that fixed. And wait… he had just used work in a situation that implied he may enjoy it. No way in hell. He flopped into the pollen-infested seat and heaved a sigh. "Yeah, sure, no problem, but don't tell me you want to drive there in _this_!"

Nami chuckled, sliding into the passenger seat. "Well, this obviously has to go back to the shop. We can walk from there to my apartment; it's not far. Then you can get your sunglasses." Nami had not failed to notice Yohji's grasp for the non-existent object. Nami settled into the seat, not minding the pollen. The sun shined a little bit brighter as she looked at Yohji with a sly smile. "And besides, Yohji, I can't commit lover's suicide with you. We're not lovers." She looked away from him and stage-whispered the last part. "Not yet, anyway."

"Damn you got me," Yohji purred, flooring it and spinning the tortured piece of metal around in the opposite direction they had come from. "That'll have to change soon." He managed to make it back to the flowershop safely, priding himself in his fabulous motor skills. Walking didn't sound very exciting though... He pouted and hopped out, throwing the keys back onto the key rack by the front door that led to the garage they were now in. Yohji looked forlornly at his Seven and frowned in sadness. He wanted to drive it! Giving up, he dragged his feet all the way up to his room. He grabbed his sunglasses off his table and slapped them over his eyes, ignoring the excitement pouring from the short blond's mouth. Something had Omi back in high spirits...Well, that was good. He ignored the actual words coming from his mouth about the soccer league or some shit and the dark ones with shadows clinging to them Yohji knew belonged to their leader. He returned back to Nami with a crooked smile. "Ready to go swimming?"

Nami stood outside the shop, smiling. Maybe this day would have a happy ending after all. She blinked when Yohji mentioned swimming. "Swimming?"

Yohji pulled the shades down from his emerald eyes and smirked, flashing perfect teeth. He didn't expect her to get his joke; they never did. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to sweat my ass off. It's still hot out even with the sun setting."

Nami gave Yohji a disgusted look, laughing. "Oh, Yohji. Gross." She reached out and grabbed his hand. "I have air conditioning. Come on!" She laughed and started walking at a quick pace, pulling Yohji along with her

"That's not how it works, Rani," Aya muttered, looking even more annoyed somehow. If Ken left Weiss, they probably would never see him again. That is, if Ken _could _leave Weiss. They were kind of stuck now… He sat up and glared at the clock. "Ken's not home. I'm ordering subway." And with that, Aya rose to his feet and headed for the doorway that Omi was currently blocking.

Rani just looked at her brother, shaking her head. She then looked over him towards Omi with a puzzled look. {Why is Aya so bent out of shape about all this?}

Michelle arrived home as the sun was setting, the blood crusted onto her face and arms. She wearily opened the door and let it fall shut behind her. She sighed heavily, trooping up the stairs. She started a hot bath and as soon as the tub was full and slid in. She had kept the roses nearby and now gazed at them with sadness and a touch of anger. Slowly she picked up one rose and began to gently pluck the petals. She continued this until all the roses were naked and all the petals floated in the water. With a shudder and tears in her eyes she slid in deeper, the water coming over her ears and face, leaving her nose and mouth out. She let the utter silence underneath the water consume her.

Yohji gave his trademark grin, holding her hand softly as he followed after her. He wondered briefly what she was planning, but he was willing to play along whatever it was so he didn't ask. It was only a matter of time before they made it back to her place and actually Yohji wasn't _that_sweaty. The air conditioning was a life-saver though!

Nami smiled at Yohji as she let them into her apartment. "It might be a little messy, sorry." She smiled fondly at her crazy apartment. Her living room was filled with a collection of strange objects, clearly from all over the world. She pulled on Yohji until he came towards the couch and with a gentle push, made him sit. She then sauntered off to the kitchen. "Want something cool to drink?"

"Yes, please, anything," Yohji said softly in a voice he didn't use very often. He looked around at all the things, smiling a little to himself. He crossed his legs and flopped back into the couch he found strangely comfortable.

Omi blinked awkwardly at Aya before stepping out of the way. He gave the older man a nervous look and then glanced to Rani kindly. "Well, I'll have cheese and turkey, what about you Rani?"

"Um... the same." She said off-handedly. Something really was different about her brother and she wasn't sure how much she liked it. She then blinked once… twice... and smiled at Omi. "Omi, want to watch a movie while we wait for the food?"

"Yeah sure! Great idea~" Omi chimed, trying to lighten the mood like he always did with his overly cheery voice. Cerulean eyes fell on Aya as he watched the redhead 'hn' and then disappear down the stairs. "I still have to introduce you to some of my friends at school. It's probably lonely here all by yourself. Anyways, what movie would you like to watch?"

"That would be great!" She said with a smile as she bounced up. "I'm hoping Aya will get me enrolled in school for next term. I'll have to study this summer so I can catch up to everyone my age… Anyway, let's watch something funny?"

"Something funny would be great. I need a laugh." Omi smiled, walking from Aya's door area and towards the stairs to where their large movie selection awaited. "I'm sure Aya would do anything you asked...almost. And I can help you, anytime!" Omi said excitedly. He really was a genius who loved schoolwork and took pleasure in it...Don't laugh, he knew it was weird.

"Great!" Rani smiled, looking rather excited herself. She couldn't wait to ask Aya about being enrolled in school. Although... maybe she should wait until he was in a better mood. "You should pick the movie, Omi! I don't know many of the new ones."

Eventually, Omi and Rani decided on an awesome comedy movie called 'Kong Pow' and replaced the worn DVD in the machine of a soccer game Ken loved watching with the pristine disc that they had bought recently. Yohji had said it was really good, so Omi had wanted to see it. He hoped Rani would enjoy it also...

Nami smiled to herself and rooted through her fridge. She came up with a jug of lemonade and quickly poured two glasses, putting a couple ice cubes in Yohji's. She replaced the jug in the fridge and brought out the glasses, handing one to Yohji. Holding hers in both hands, she sat on the cushion opposite him with a smile. "There, extra cold. Just to make sure you don't sweat your ass off."

"That wouldn't be good," Yohji said with a laugh in his voice as he began to gulp down the lemonade eagerly. It was only a matter of time before the whole glass was drained and he emitted a sigh. "That hit the spot."

Nami couldn't help but laugh, glancing between his empty glass and her glass that was still 3/4 full. "Would you like another? Or would you say you're satisfied?"

"I'm good for now, but thanks," He said with a calm smile, running a hand through the shorter pieces of wavy hair in the back. "I really like your place." Green eyes glimmered from beneath the sunglasses he still refused to remove (as they were a part of him).

Nami smiled, taking a sip of her lemonade. She looked around her apartment, her eyes sparkling. "Thanks. A lot of the stuff was my parents. Stuff we picked up from every place we lived." She glanced at the picture on her side table next to her. Two smiling faces peered up at her, waving at the person taking the picture. "They eventually settled back home, well, _home_ home. When I moved out here they told me I had to take pieces of home with me." She laughed, shaking her head. "I think they were just dealing with too much clutter."

Yohji nodded at her comment, his eyes focusing on the picture she was looking at of her family. His eyes turned sad before he was aware of it and he became glad of the shades covering over the unYohji-like emotion. Then he laughed also, quickly dispelling the brief moment.

Nami smiled, standing. She took Yohji's empty glass and her half-full glass and brought them into the kitchen. She put his glass into the sink and hers into the fridge for later. She paused a moment, taking a deep breath. {Come on, Nami. You brought him back here for a reason.} Nami cringed inwardly at herself. Yeah, she knew the reason she had brought him back. But she also knew there were a lot of things up in the air between them—like the stadium episode and what happened with Michelle. And being called a 'spy.' So, of course, what she really wanted would only complicate things further. But there was just something about Yohji that she couldn't help but be drawn to. So if this was the last time she ever saw him again (in case something drew them apart)… she was at least going to enjoy herself. She strode from the kitchen back into the living room. She sat down on the couch, next to Yohji this time. She leaned into him with a small smile. {Now to gauge his reaction before I make my move...}

Yohji watched her get up and then made himself more comfortable on the couch, stretching his arm out against the head rest for when she sat back down. He really didn't know what Nami was planning for him at all, but he was expecting a serious conversation...and hated the idea of it. After his mini-fight with Aya, he felt sick to his stomach with dread. What if Aya had been right? The paranoid bastard did have a point after all. Yohji had in fact been an idiot in the past and had major trust problems. The man frowned to himself, sliding his sunglasses to the top of his head as he observed Nami entering the living room once more. He couldn't resist his sloppy trademark smile as she sat back down beside him and he let his arm fall from above her to around her shoulders. "What are you thinking about?" He asked in a seductive voice, but his green eyes remained sincere and sparkled serenely at her.

Nami leaned her head back and to the side, so she could look up at his face. She felt her heart flip-flop. Yeah, there was definitely something about him. The things they needed to talk about were just looming in front of her, but she chose to ignore them. Right now, she needed this real moment. She smiled slowly, her eyes shimmering with various emotions. "You," she murmured, reaching up to run her fingers down his cheek before letting her hand fall in his lap.

"Me?" Yohji asked in a smooth voice, running a quick hand through her soft hair absentmindedly. His eyes gleamed with hidden incentive as the same callused hand slid to her cheek. He broke the small distance between them, their noses moments from touching. Yohji placed his other hand firmly over hers that rested in his lap, stroking her fingertips. His smirk increased and he leaned in to capture her lips. Fuck Aya, Neu can burn in hell, and Asuka...well, Yohji was the kinda guy that needed happiness or he would die. Any form of happiness—whether it hurt him later or not.

Ken stumbled through the door in wreck of exhaustion—as always. He walked past the kitchen—unlike usual—and glanced despondently at the flashing movie on the screen. "Hey guys," He chanted at Omi and Rani, his dulled aqua eyes catching the light on the TV. "Mind turning it down just a bit, I'm heading straight to bed?" That was lie; Ken already knew of the long night awaiting him. He knew that despite how much his winning team had tired him out at the celebration dinner, he _had_ to find out if the professional soccer league really asked for him back. He knew looking for the mail or even the newspaper would result in failure so he settled with the computer. Not waiting for an answer from Omi or much else, the soccer fanatic vanished into his lair where he dug around for his abandoned laptop in a pile of clothes. Opening the pristine object, he began to search until he found articles. The truth struck him harder than when he had first heard it out of Hoshi's mouth...because it was truer. Maybe he didn't trust people, but it was so trueee! The excitement was a wave of energy that had Ken laughing to himself like he had lost his mind. The brunette forced himself to regain composure and pulled out the business card Hoshi had given him, glancing at the clock on the wall that had soccer balls for hands. Ken didn't think it was too late at night, in fact he was hoping he could actually meet with her tomorrow. The shop was still closed, and they didn't have a mission...so, what better chance? He dialed the number and listened to the annoying monotone ring of anticipation.

Aya had long devoured his subway hoagie and currently was sulking in his room sharpening his sword with cold eyes. He ran his fingers along the silver blade affectionately as he wondered how long their make-shift family would really last. As quick as the leader was able to make decisions during a mission, he was having trouble now. It was better for Rani to live in a safer environment considering what happened to Sakura... It was like losing a more distant sister, and in order to prevent anything like that in the future, it would be better to quit. He shuddered at the thought of leaving Weiss. It was like finding a key to unlock the bars that caged him in for years. The whole situation irked him and Yohji wasn't making things better. Aya didn't need to kill anymore...Rani was awake. And Ken, well, Ken didn't need to either. Ken's past caught back up to him and reopened its doors. Omi was almost finished high school and his future was just beginning to start. Yohji, well... Aya shrugged to himself and sheathed his sword, placing it onto its stand. Could they ever go back to a normal existence? Would not-killing haunt them—would they not chased by the shadows left behind? It didn't matter; all that mattered to Aya was Rani's happiness and safety.

Omi opened his mouth as he paused the movie, but then realized Ken was gone. He blinked at the spot the older boy had once occupied. He turned to Rani and shrugged, turning down the volume that had once been blaring. The youngest Weiss member crumpled his hoagie wrapper and tossed it with ease into the trash can next to the couch. That had been nice of Aya to buy them both dinner. Omi beamed to himself, unpausing the movie.

Nami breathed an internal sigh of relief as Yohji moved closer to her. {Thank goodness!} She could feel the corners of her lips turning up in a large smile as she closed the rest of the distance between them, letting their lips touch. She let her mind go blank; nothing else mattered right now except this moment.

Yohji soon became lost in his instincts, his warming eyes closing into the eternal kiss. He opened his mouth to hers and his head spun with the intensity of his feelings. When was the last time he felt like this? He couldn't be too rough or she would break, and he couldn't be too light or she wouldn't feel anything. They ex-playboy slid from his seat next to her and pushed his chest against hers, his breath growing subtly ragged.

Nami felt completely and utterly surrounded. All at once the world was a blur and then in the same second, totally in focus. She could feel her own breaths grow heavy and her eyes closing as Yohji's body pushed closer to hers. She could feel him enjoying this as well and she wanted to let herself fall into him. But she didn't want to be completely seduced. Nami couldn't let Yohji think he was entirely in control of all this. She gently began to shift to put Yohji slightly off-balance. When she felt she had a good hand, she broke the kiss, and eyes sparkling, pushed him so that he fell flat on his back on the floor.

It seemed like ages before Michelle rose from the tub. She let the water slowly drain as she wrapped a towel around herself. Using another towel to dry her hair a little she moved from her bathroom into the master bedroom. She went around the room lighting candles until she was bathed in a gloomy light. She paused to gaze at herself in the mirror, seeing the wounds as the light flickered over her. She sighed heavily, stepping out of the towel and throwing a nightgown over her head. Her body felt heavy and it ached. She laid herself gingerly out on the bed, sighing as she settled in. This was the price of magic. And sometimes… how she loathed it. She let a lone tear roll down her cheek as she closed her eyes. She prayed that sleep would come quickly and strong, but she doubted it would do as she asked.

Someone answered! "Ken Hidaka," he said with a calm voice, trying to hide his hyper personality and sound somewhat cool...well, at least over the phone. "I decided to accept," he blurted out, surprising himself. Wait...had he really? Shit, too late. It wasn't a question though...soccer was his life, and if he said no, it would be like throwing himself off a cliff. Hell, he might as well do that if he declined the amazing request. "I couldn't find the envelope, but I'm going to call tomorrow, would you like to set up a meeting afterwards?"

Hoshi blinked. {Oh, wow. That was fast.} "Congratulations, Mr. Hidaka. I'm sure the league will be happy to have you back." She made another mad roll to her other bedside table to grab her planner. She quickly opened it to the following day. "Is there a specific time you would like this meeting to be? My schedule is open after one PM."

"I hope so... after they falsely accused me," Ken said with a frown lingering in his tired voice. "Ah, well any time is fine. I'm free all day since work is closed."

"How about two PM, then? I'll look forward to hearing all about it tomorrow." Hoshi tried her best to remain all business even though she felt like she would burst with questions. She gave herself a mental slap in the face. {Careful! This story will get you that promotion! Don't screw it up!}

"Sounds good to me," Ken nodded to himself, realizing only half way that she couldn't see through the receiver. "I'll see you then. Have a good night." And then he hung up rather abruptly as he was known for. The goalie fell back onto his bed with a stressed sigh. Life was so hard...and yet awesome. Closing his eyes, he eventually fell asleep.

Hoshi stared at her phone. "Uh… bye." With a shrug of her shoulders, she shifted back to her laptop. She had another article she needed to finish up. She ended up working late into the night, falling asleep in front of her laptop (although she managed to shut it before she fell asleep).

Rani was curled in a ball on the couch, sound asleep. Her arm was tucked underneath her head. She hadn't moved for a while, not realizing that the credits had stopped rolling and the screen was blank. She had thoroughly enjoyed the movie, laughing and forgetting her cares for a little while. You could tell she had been laughing as she fell asleep because a small smile was evident on her face.

Omi hadn't realized Rani fell asleep until the movie ended. He smiled sweetly at her and tucked their softest blanket around her. Not bothering to put the movie away, Omi retired to his own room and strangely had a nightmare about Subway monsters...

A dumbfounded Yohji stared back at Nami from where he fell off the couch and onto the floor. "Wha...?" He blinked at her, panting slightly. She didn't seem angry, in fact, her breathing was almost equal to his own. Yohji smirked to himself. This girl was plotting something...

Nami looked down at him for a minute, just smiling. She figured she looked like a lunatic, her smile was that huge. She stood slowly and moved towards where Yohji lay on the floor. She nonchalantly straddled him, settling herself on top of him. She leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. "Well, hey there." She said with a wink as she quickly pecked him on the lips.

"Aaa~" Yohji chimed, winking at her closed eyes. "You like it on top." His professional hands caressed her from her shoulders to her hips where they rested. Green eyes narrowed and he turned his lips to her neck.

Nami laughed and let the laughter fade away to a soft sigh as Yohji put his lips on her neck. She remained there under his ministrations for a few minutes. Just as suddenly as she had pushed him on the ground, she pushed herself off him. She grabbed onto one of his hands and laughing at the confused look on his face, pulled him to his feet. "Come on. I can think of somewhere more comfortable than the floor." She tugged until Yohji was in her bedroom with her. With another laugh, she kicked the door shut behind her as she went up to Yohji, looping her arms around his neck. "Now then, where were we?"

Aya woke up with his body aching. Apparently, last night he had taken to practicing his draws, whipping the blade around his room and causing havoc. Now he needed new curtains. Lazy violet eyes creaked open to focus blankly on the pristine ceiling. He made no effort to move despite his katana's sheath digging into his back. After he achieved a grip on his thoughts, the redhead rolled off the sword and kicked it out of the bed. It clanked to the ground loudly and Aya cringed, shutting his eyes. He regretted that. There was no motivation to get up, nothing was drawing him forward, life was becoming stagnant, and there were no more goals... What now? He felt he knew the answer; in fact, it was as clear as the pain in his back. Aya just wasn't ready to admit it to himself let alone anyone else.

Michelle awoke with a start, breathing heavily. Her eyes snapped open, realizing that despite it being morning it was pitch black in her room. With a groan, she sat up and got out of bed. Walking over to the bay window in her room, she threw the curtains open, letting the light wash over her. More nightmares again—more chilling dreams of things to come had caused her to toss and turn all night. Stifling a yawn, she moved downstairs to make herself some breakfast. After the ordeal in the forest she hadn't eaten and she was quite hungry.

Rani blinked a few times as she came slowly awake. She was confused at first as to why she was on the couch. Then she remembered watching the movie with Omi the night before. She must've fallen asleep. With a loud yawn she stood, folding the blanket Omi had so kindly thrown over her. Stretching, she went up to her room to clean herself up and put on a fresh change of clothes. She was hoping as she went into her room that maybe Aya would be in a better mood than yesterday.

At this early hour, Omi was currently in the flowershop, arranging a few flowers for the next day when the doors would finally open again. It felt like forever since the attack of the wild fan girls consumed him... All well, he wasn't complaining! He sprinted around, doing the usual chores of carefully watering the plants. They all seemed happy this morning...all so green. It was probably because it was so humid in there. Omi pulled at his shirt that stuck to him and wrapped the hose back up with a sigh. The guilt was stronger today...tomorrow was going to be Sakura's funeral. At least that was what Manx had written him in the e-mail this morning. Tomorrow was so sudden to let go of someone they had known for so long... Omi stretched his arms high into the air as if layering himself with his normal happiness. Sakura was kidnapped and killed and it wasn't Weiss' fault; it was an accident. Omi knew very well that not everyone could be protected. No one was all-seeing—no one could predict what would happen. Now he just had to face it in his own way. Omi knew...he just knew that Sakura would want them all to go on smiling for her. And Omi would do just that.

Shayla smiled and laughed as she walked into the penthouse with Hoshi. They had just spent a couple hours running and, well, taking in the air. She waved at Hoshi as they went their separate ways in the apartment so they could shower. As Shayla stripped out of her shorts and t-shirt, she couldn't help but keep smiling. It was nice to have someone around again—someone a little closer to her own age. She hopped into the shower, knowing that she had a full day ahead of her. She had more unpacking and arranging to do until Omi called her. Her heart skipped a tiny beat as she thought about spending the day with Omi, exploring Tokyo. He really was a good friend and was becoming dearer to her by the day.

Hoshi rolled her eyes a little as Shayla went off to her bathroom to shower. That girl was a ray of sunshine, and that was no mistake. Still, it was nice having her around. So far anyway. Shayla kept Hoshi from falling too heavily into her work, which she had a tendency to do. Thank goodness it was summer break otherwise she'd be even more stressed out. Shaking those thoughts from her head, she took a quick shower. She did have a meeting this afternoon. Even though it wasn't until two, she had to go into the office to hand in her article and get some more information. She wasn't going to blow this. She stood in her towel, her wet hair up in a messy bun. She needed to look professional, but casual. "Arrgh..."

Ken exited a cloud of water vapor, his hair dripping wet and a towel hanging very loosely around his hips. Having forgotten about the existence of a girl in the household, he froze when he spotted Rani. He was blocking her path into her room. He stepped tentatively away, blushing a bit. Ken continued to pause briefly from horror before he found himself darting into his room behind a slammed door. Panting, he bit his lip and then went about getting dressed. Today was his meeting with Hoshi... he had to wear something other than a soccer jersey, but what?

Nami awoke to her body feeling sore, but in a good way. She sighed softly and rolled over to hit…flesh. Her eyes snapped open with surprise, but the expression quickly became a soft smile as she realized who it was. Yohji was next to her, sleeping quite soundly. She watched him sleep for a few minutes before she decided to rise, realizing that she was somewhat indecent. Blushing to herself she quickly threw on shorts and a tank top. Leaning over the bed, she placed the softest kiss on Yohji's head before exiting the room, letting the door shut silently behind her. She walked into the kitchen and began to rifle through the cabinets and fridge.

Ken gave up after a few seconds, and checking to make sure that Rani was nowhere to be seen, he slipped from his room and down the stairs to the kitchen. Now...what would be for breakfast? He dug through the fridge and found...eggs. Eggs and milk seemed to be the only thing they had left. The place was really lacking a women's touch. Ken sighed sadly, thinking about Sakura. She was always dragging one of them out food shopping with her... It was usually Ken because everyone else was apt at escaping except him. Aya went too...rarely. The soccer fanatic had received the e-mail from Manx about the funeral last night when he was surfing the web for articles on himself. The amount that turned up was shocking. He really had to call and confirm the offer they were making him... Suddenly a voice made him jump and nearly drop the egg he was holding. That's right, Ken was contemplating something for once.

"Ken...why are you in a towel?" Omi stood before him, all wet himself, but sweaty with some dirt clinging to his clothes. He had his hands on his hips and a strange look in his blue eyes.

"S—so what if I am?" Ken stammered, his teal eyes glowing darkly with anger. He had hoped he could have eaten breakfast in peace, but _noooo_ Omi just had to interfere. "Why are you here anyway?" Ken frowned, the disappointment clearly in his features.

"What? Why am I here...?" Omi asked, his own voice sounding angered now. "Excuse me, I was working while you lazy bums do whatever the hell you want! The flowers all could have died for all you care!" He looked down after his outburst, saying in a soft voice with traces of sadness clinging to it. "Something has to be kept alive..."

"I care," Ken said in a calmer voice that also took on a soft quality. He turned from the frigid air and placed a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Omi. I know how you feel." His eyes were filled with care and his own deep-rooted sadness that was evidently spilling over into his words. "I'm in a towel because I can't decide what to wear."

Omi suddenly burst out laughing, his sunshine returning. "So you're prancing around the house like _that_?" He cracked up, holding onto the counter for balance. "I sure hope Rani didn't see you like that!"

"Uh..." Ken looked sideways and gave a frustrated sigh. "She already did, but whatever!" He crossed his arms, still holding the egg. "Now, I'm trying to make breakfast dammit!"

"Good luck. I hope your towel doesn't fall down," Omi smirked, chuckling and as he turned to leave, his eyes captured Ken's fiery gaze. "Sakura's funeral is tomorrow..."

"I know." And then Ken turned back to grab more eggs to throw into the pan he took from the bottom drawer. These were going to be freaking amazing eggs, dammit!

Hoshi was in the process of making breakfast herself, but unlike Ken, she was dressed. A professional job warranted professional clothing; she was wearing a black pencil skirt with a navy button-down blouse. Her black pumps click-clacked across the floor as she poured herself a glass of orange juice. She had to admit as she sat down to eat her cereal, dressing in business casual made her look a lot older than her 19 years. Which was good... it meant she got more respect in the newsroom. She tucked an unruly strand of hair behind her as she ate, making a mental checklist of everything she still needed to do before leaving the house.

Shayla bounced into the kitchen barefoot, wearing a long, teal bathrobe. She had put her long, red hair into two braids, letting them fall down her back. She grabbed a bowl of cereal for herself, as well as a glass of apple juice. She slid into the seat across from Hoshi. "Wow, Hoshi. You look so different."

It took Hoshi a minute to snap out of her checklist to respond to Shayla. "Um. oh. Yes. Thanks" Hoshi laughed a little. "Being one of the youngest non-interns means you have to strive to prove yourself in every way. Including how you dress."

"That makes sense." Shayla ate a bite of her cereal before speaking again. "I'm glad I don't have to worry about things like that for a little while."

"Yeah, enjoy your time now." Hoshi laughed. She stood to put her empty bowl and glass into the sink, sighing, frustrated. "Stupid hair." She tucked yet another strand behind her ear.

"I'll do it!" Shayla let her spoon fall back into her bowl. She stood and practically dragged Hoshi back into the seat. As Hoshi yelped in surprise, Shayla began to nimbly french braid Hoshi's hair. "Is green your natural color?"

Hoshi was confused but as she felt Shayla beginning to tug and braid her hair, she relaxed a little. If she could make her own hair look good, Shayla could probably succeed with Hoshi's. "No..." She laughed, trying to keep her head still. "I lost a bet with some friends at school. One more day and I can dye it back to my natural color." She stood when Shayla had finished, feeling the work gingerly. "Wow... thanks Shayla!" She grinned at her before dashing off to her side of the house. "I've got to rush now, though!" Within five minutes she had grabbed her laptop bag and purse and was out the door with a wave to Shayla.

Shayla laughed and waved after Hoshi before sitting down to finish enjoying her cereal.

Nami smiled as gazed down at the mixing bowl on the counter. She had successfully made chocolate chip pancake mix. From scratch. Okay, not entirely from scratch. She had found a half-full box of pancake mix and a huge bag of chocolate chips. And it just seemed to make sense. She took out the biggest pan she had and stuck it on the stove, lighting the flame underneath. As she let it heat up she turned to her coffee maker, flicking the switch and letting it do its thing. She turned back to the stove and taking out a ladle, began to make some pancakes. As she cooked she hummed to herself, smiling absentmindedly.

Rani felt refreshed after washing her face and changing clothes. She had dug around in the drawers filled with clothes bought by the boys. She was a little disappointed to see it was mostly filled with jeans and t-shirts. She sighed a little. She really needed a girl to go shopping with. She frowned, thinking about Sakura.. the girl who had been around only for a short time since she had woken up. She shook her head, throwing on jeans and a green t-shirt. She would need to find something to wear to the funeral, whenever that was. She decided to ask Aya, throwing her hair up in a ponytail as she padded down the hallway. She knocked quietly on her brother's door, in case he was still sleeping.

Aya eventually left his room, dressed in casual all-black cotton pants and a muscle shirt. He opened the refrigerator, closed it, and then went about making tea. They really needed food in the house. He frowned at the thought and decided it had to be done today or they would starve. Picking up breakfast too wasn't such a bad idea... Once the tea was ready, he poured himself a mug and downed it. Aya placed the empty thing in the sink and checked on the plants in the flowershop only to find that they were already watered. Sighing, Aya went back to his room to check his e-mail as he always did once a day in the morning, but he barely got the website open before a knock dragged him from his duty. Turning in his leather computer chair, the redhead blinked at the door. "Come in?" It was probably Rani... no one else would bother him in the morning.

Rani opened the door and peeked her head in. "Morning Oniisan." She smiled a little, glad to see he was awake. "Can I come in?"

…and they were freaking amazing eggs! After Ken inhaled them, he decided to actually put on clothes. Unfortunately...they didn't match. Ken thought they did because, to him, soccer jerseys matched everything. Unfortunately, a red soccer shirt will never match brown jeans... He exited his room, running his hands through his damp hair. For some reason it seemed wavier than usual... maybe it was the intense humidity outside? "Oi Omiiii?"

"Hm?" Omi looked up from the magazine he was skimming to meet Ken's teal-colored eyes. He scowled upon sight. "Ken you looked better in a towel."

"Thanks. I'm turning on the air, so if there're windows I'm not aware of, close them." He turned from the younger male and straight to the buttons on the wall next to him. The meeting with Hoshi was approaching and he was getting so anxious! Shit, maybe he had turned the temperature down too much... Was negative two too cold?

Aya nodded, turning the monitor off and putting his feet up on the bed. The light from the hallway outside his room made him squint, his irises vanishing into violet. He wondered what this could be about, but decided to wait to ask...

Rani smiled, coming in and shutting the door behind her. She plopped down on his bed and looked at him for a moment. She was unsure how to start so she just kind of went in. "Ummm... Aya. I uh, well, I like the clothes you guys bought me, but... I need some more, girl's clothes." She looked up innocently, her eyes sparkling. "Can I go shopping?"

Nami turned off the stove, smiling happily at the huge pile of steaming pancakes on the counter. She looked over to see the coffee machine had finished and hot coffee had filled the pot. Breakfast was ready! However... she was at this point, alone. She went into her bedroom to see Yohji, still sound asleep in her bed. She went over to the bed and gently shook him on his shoulder. "Hey… Yohji..."

Under normal circumstances the shaking would result in nothing, but Nami's natural smell wafted into his sleeping mind and dragged him from the dark world into the morning. Bleary emerald eyes creaked open slightly and then shut. The ex-playboy felt around for her arm and pulled her to him. He kissed her neck softly, a very slight smile on his lips. "Afternoon, beautiful."

Nami laughed, wiggling out of his arms and kissing him on the cheek. "Morning, actually." She bounced up with a grin, tugging his arm. "Come on! I made breakfast!"

Aya's eyes widened with surprise and then he uncharacteristically laughed. He reached over and grabbed his wallet off the table. The chain attached to it jingled as he pried the snaps open. He grabbed all the money in it and handed it to her. "You don't need to ask." A ghost of a smile lingered on his lips. "Just don't spend it all in one store."

"Yay!" Rani grinned, taking the money enthusiastically. She smiled, folding it up and putting it in her pocket. She frowned a little, thinking about the other thing she needed to ask. "Um... I was wondering…do you know when Sakura's...?" She trailed off, not really wanting to finish the question.

"Sakura's...?" Aya really had no idea what she was trying to ask, but he could tell that it was a sensitive topic. The mere mention of her name ran sorrowful fingers up and down his spine.

"Her… funeral..." Rani whispered, feeling horrible for even bringing it up.

"Haven't heard..." Aya said darkly, switching his monitor back on. His eyes wandered over the various e-mails until he noticed one from Kritiker. Ah... He clicked on it and scanned it quickly. "The funeral's tomorrow."

Yohji's eyes shot open and he turned in every which way to locate a clock. When he didn't find one immediately, he stared at her in shock. "Wha…what? _Morning_? Is the world ending...?" The prospect of breakfast made the bum of a man slid from the covers and to the carpet dressed in just his boxers. He hadn't eaten breakfast since the dawn of the dinosaurs. This woman used some sort of magic... he knew it! "Damn it's humid today..."

Nami laughed. "I'll turn the air conditioning on." She chuckled and left her bedroom, going to the little box in the living room. She dropped the temperature down enough to kick-start the air. She then went over to the kitchen, grabbing a couple plates, coffee mugs, and forks. She set up her small table nonchalantly, waiting for Yohji to emerge.

"You mean the air's not even on!" Yohji asked, horrified. "I probably sweat to death and now I smell bad..." He frowned as he followed after her into the kitchen, yawning loudly. "I'm still tired, why am I awake aga—" The smell of coffee made him drool inwardly. He emerged to the small table with a crooked smile. "You're too perfect."

Rani nodded, standing. "I'd like to go…" She smiled faintly at Aya and hugged him tightly before leaving his room. She went downstairs to eat a bowl of cereal before going out on her shopping spree.

"Alright..." Aya said as she hugged him and he turned back to the computer with a bored expression. So many e-mails to page through... and the only one that had any meaning was the very simple one sent by Manx: 'I'm very sorry for the loss of Sakura. I know how important she was and that she died because of leaked information on the mission... We take responsibility and the funeral is to be held tomorrow morning nine PM at the shrine, please try to be early if you are attending. - Manx.' That was it... Everything else meant nothing really. His heart stirred for the thought once more of never being able to see her again. She'll never run, never water the plants. The thought hurt more than Aya could understand and he found himself staring at the monitor as if in a trance—a trance of memories for someone who was no longer in this world...

Nami laughed and shook her head. "Not really." She gestured for Yohji to sit down as she brought out the pancakes and put them on the table. Then she brought over the coffee pot and filled the two mugs to the brim.

Yohji frowned like a scolded child and sat down as he was commanded. Looking tiredly at the pancakes, he looked back up at her, pouting in his most manly way. "Nami, you shouldn't brush that off; I was being serious..." He trailed off, his voice sounding slightly whiney, but also raspy as it always was in the morning. He took his freshly poured coffee and began slurping at it until half the cup was gone. He placed it back on the table and began to cut his glorious pancakes. "To me, you _are_ perfect." He would never mention his other thoughts to her. But Nami was just like Asuka except different; they weren't the same person... just the same sort of feeling. Yohji's heart was beating fast as he chewed the pancake right off the fork. Fear—he was beginning to feel the on-comings of fear and it scared him.

Shayla took a flying leap from the entrance of her bedroom onto her bed, reaching for cellphone on the bedside table. She was still in pajamas, but decided to call Omi anyway. She punched in the numbers and listened to the phone ring, her smile growing.

Omi threw the magazine he was reading at the wall with a frown and stood up. He followed after Ken's ten-minute-old shadow and reset the air conditioning before it broke. It was set on negative two... He sincerely doubted if that was even possible, but they would all freeze to death if it was...or it would break the expensive thing he had programmed himself. The boy shut the box in the wall and scurried back to his place on the couch, flipping on the television to watch the news he had just read. That was when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Excitement raced through him as he flipped it open only to see that it was the insurance agent. He sighed angrily and hit ignore, turning back to the TV. It insisted by vibrating against his leg yet further. Omi pulled it out and flipped it open. "Seriously Yoshida! I already told you I switched over. Give it a rest already!"

"Yoshida? Ah, so there's someone else, is there?" Shayla laughed, standing and going to her closet. "Really Omi, you should check your caller ID before you answer." She tucked her head onto her shoulder, the phone in between. She began shifting through the mess of clothes in the closet, trying to find something to wear.

There was a moment of silence as Omi registered what was going on. "Crap!" He hissed quietly before sighing. "Sorry..." The blond-haired boy murmured sadly. "I've been having a stressing morning... And no, it's the old insurance _guy_." Omi laughed nervously, flopping over on his back on the couch still, with the TV flashing in the background. "I wouldn't cheat on you in a million years... but we'd have to date first," Omi said with a cheerful laugh in his voice. He only hoped that Shayla knew what he was saying... He hadn't known she could speak Japanese and had been slightly surprised to find that out since they had only spoken in English online.

Shayla stopped short in her search for clothes, trying to formulate what Omi had just said. "Umm…" She chuckled nervously. "You speak quickly, you know that? Because I could've sworn you just asked me on a date and then said you would cheat on me with an old guy, but only in a million mornings." She reached into her closet and pulled out her denim skirt and threw it on the bed behind her and began to look for a shirt.

Omi fell off the couch and the thud echoed into the receiver as he struggled to keep it on his ear. "Hahahah! What on earth are you talking about?" He blurted out, realizing he was talking fast again. He never really noticed, but he was a rather quick speaker. He figured it was because his brain always moved quickly. "SHALL WE TRY ENGLISH?" Omi asked completely fluently. "I was surprised you could even speak Japanese. I said: 'I wouldn't cheat on you in a million years... but first we'd have to date.'" Omi smiled to himself, picking himself off the plush carpet and back onto the couch.

Even though Rani felt sad that she had a friend's funeral tomorrow, the prospect of clothes shopping was cheering. After all, it had been three years. She walked around at a leisurely place going from store to store and just window shopping for a little while. She didn't want to spend the money too quickly; the clothes needed to jump out at her before she would think about buying them.

Nami just shook her head with a small smile, refilling Yohji's mug. She sat down opposite him and began to eat her own pancakes, chewing thoughtfully. She couldn't quite understand why Yohji felt she was perfect. She was far from it and she knew it. Still it was nice to be appreciated. Maybe it was a good sign for their future. After all, they still had a lot of things to talk about and any number of those could completely ruin everything. Shaking off those negative thoughts, she looked at Yohji, taking a sip of coffee. "Did you sleep well?"

"No, I believe the question is: 'did you sleep at all?' Someone kept me up all night." He winked, green eyes shining at her from through his dirty blond hair. "Not only that, but someone also woke me up before the designated hour of waking." Yohji smirked, drinking half of the coffee again and eating another pancake.

Nami gave him a look, raising an eyebrow. "Excuse you. I will admit, I woke you up. Never knew you had a 'designated hour of waking' so I decided that morning was good enough." She took a bite of her pancake before replying to his earlier comment. "And as for _that_, I believe you kept_ me_ up all night. Not the other way around." She fought a smile, trying to look bothered.

"If it was me, I would have kept you up 'til mornin'!" Yohji laughed, smirking at how flustered she looked. He finished off his food and coffee and let out a breath. "Ah, that was so good!"

Nami rolled her eyes and laughed, finishing off her pancake and coffee. "I'm glad you liked it." She started to clear off the table. She hated leaving a mess; better to get it done right away then leave it 'till later.

This was where Yohji was supposed to step in. He was slightly reluctant though and hovered at the table until Nami reached the sink. He strutted over, emanating chivalry. If he was going to do it, he'd do it in style. Whipping out his sunglasses from nowhere, Yohji slipped them over his eyes and reached for a plate, turning on the water and sprinkling it with soap. "I got it. Why don't you go plot what we're doing after I finish—like sleeping some more..."

Nami smiled and standing on her tiptoes, kissed him on the cheek in thanks. "I'll be in bed." She said with a chuckle, walking back into her bedroom and sliding in between the sheets with a small yawn.

Shayla laughed, switching to English as well. "That makes _much_more sense. Yeah, I started learning when I discovered I was moving to Japan. I speak it pretty well, if I do say so myself. But I'm still not great at understanding it. I'd like to try sticking with Japanese when we go out later, but you'll have to speak slowly for me." She laughed again, giving herself a mental {ah ha} when she discovered the maroon and gold striped tank top she had been looking for. She threw it onto the bed on top of the skirt. "So, what time do you want to meet up today?"

"Please save me from this boredom I beg you!" Omi whined from atop the couch. "I've read the paper and now I'm watching the same thing on TV...I'm going to lose my mind!" He switched the annoying buzz in the background off and placed the controller on the coffee table. "And yeah, I'll speak slow, but tell me if I'm going too fast for ya."

"Bored already? How long have you been up?" Shayla laughed as she grabbed her gold flats from her closet and began to pull out some jewelry to go with her outfit. "How about at 11:30? That'll give me time to finish up some things and let you writhe a bit more in boredom." She carefully put in her gold hoop earrings as she waited for his reply.

"Eh...not sure," Omi replied, fiddling with the remote and brushing the dust off of it between the buttons. He looked up at the clock in the kitchen and smiled. "Yeah, I think I can survive until then... but the writhing part doesn't sound exciting. I think I'll defrag my computer..."

Shayla laughed. "Sounds like a plan. Where should I meet you?"

In bed? Was she serious...? Yohji blinked after her in surprise before turning back to the dishes he was attempting to clean. He didn't even notice the fact that she kissed him because he was so hung up on the fact that she was actually complying with what he wanted. Was the world ending or something? He turned the faucet off as he finished and dried the dishes, setting them in a neat pile—or what he perceived as neat—and headed to the bed room.

Nami smiled to herself as she pulled the covers up to her chin, rolling onto her side so her back was to the door. She wasn't a person who normally went back to bed after getting up, but she figured she could make a few concessions. Besides, she did enjoy sleeping with Yohji and doing it again did sound appealing.

Of course, Yohji hadn't been expecting this as he opened the door and saw her under the covers. To his pleasure, he slipped beneath them with her and shut his eyes. Wow... not even Asuka had let him sleep. Life was looking up!

"There's a coffee shop called La Fleurs, want to meet there? My treat!" Omi flung the controller down and switched off the TV.

"Sounds good to me! I'll see you soon then!" With a smile, she hung up her phone and began to get herself ready for a day out in the city.

_To be continued..._


	10. Out on the Town

**Author's Note**: I hope everyone had a great holiday break. I feel like all I'm doing in my free time is writing. I really do hope to get published one day. My friend Andrea flew in to Philadelphia where I live all the way from Illinois to surprise me! It was one of the greatest moments of my life. So all you out there that don't believe in good people like our four guys, Andrea is proof of that.

* * *

**Chapter Nine**:

Yohji was snoring in half a second, an arm draped around the girl he refused to ever let go of. She was his now, but the fear was still there—the worries he knew he could never let go of. Did he deserve Nami...? Even so, would she return these feelings? For once, she wasn't just another one night stand; she meant something—she was becoming someone as close to his heart as Asuka was, but he was shying away from it. Scars only healed...they never went away. It wasn't just something he could ignore. That pain...he could never go through something like that again and survive through it. His wrecked heart was beating for Nami and he could only pray that it wouldn't shatter again.

Aya sighed and pushed out from his desk, rising from his computer chair. Enough of this. He turned from the open e-mail on his computer and picked up his katana with one swift movement. The redhead pranced out the door and down the hall to the far room. It opened to a long row of tatami matting: the practice room. He unsheathed his sword and tossed the sheath carelessly away. 2,000 subori strikes seemed sufficient to start with. Taking a deep breath, he began, cutting through the air. The silver sung, ringing like a bell and flashing cruelly in the dim lighting.

Ken was dressed! Finally! He was wearing a white dress shirt that was barely buttoned and tight, black jeans with his black boots. It was his new style: casual-dressy. He was very proud, but there was no one around to brag to... Omi had vanished and Aya was obviously in the training room. It was a bit impossible not to hear his sword swipes throughout the silence of their empty abode. Sighing, the brunette turned to the mirror again to check his semi-wavy hair. Damn humidity! It seemed Omi had also set the air conditioning to a higher temperature. How frustrating! He glanced at his watch again to confirm that he still had two hours to sit around and do...nothing!

Hoshi snapped her head up from the work at her desk as she heard her name barked from the editor's office. Scrambling up she tried to hide her nervousness as she went into his office. She sat down and nodded as he began to talk in his usual brusque manner. It took her a moment to realize exactly what he was saying. Before she had time to fully process she was back sitting at her measly desk. She stared at her computer screen. {I can't believe it. If I nail this interview then I'll move away from being a paid-intern. I'll be an actual sports writer. And once I finish college... I could be sports EDITOR.} She grinned and allowed herself a small victory dance before mentally chiding herself. She buckled down to work again, once again going over her questions. She had two hours until the interview; everything had to be perfect.

Shayla sat at a small table outside the cafe La Fleur, tapping her foot. It's not that she was impatient; she was just antsy. She glanced down at her watch and saw that it was a little before 11:30. She frowned as her straightened hair once again blew into her face. With a frustrated sigh she pulled it up into a high ponytail. Apparently her hair was going to be obnoxious today. Oh well! She resumed people-watching, waiting for Omi to appear.

Omi ran up to the beautiful girl sitting at a table outside of La Fleur. Grinning, he came to a halt in front of her. He reached out a hand to help her to stand. His blond hair tossed in the hot wind, rippling his navy blue tank top. She looked anxious. "Sorry to keep you waiting! Did you find the place okay?"

Shayla smiled, taking Omi's hand to stand. "No, it was pretty easy." She tried to banish the anxious feeling; it was a rarity for her. She realized that she was a bit nervous to be speaking Japanese a lot; she didn't want to make a fool of herself around Omi. Ignoring the tense feeling in her stomach, she laughed, throwing an arm around Omi's shoulders. "So, Omi, King of Tokyo, where to?"

Omi blushed instantly when she took his hand, but quickly looked away in shame. Was it bad that this was his first time out with a girl since...Ouka...his _sister_? The memories flashed before his eyes, the helplessness of humans clawing at his heart. The half-sister he had fallen in love with killed in his arms, fading through his fingertips. It was like Sakura... But that was why Weiss existed. Their job was to try to eradicate that... _try._And sometimes...they had to except failure and move on. Shedding tears would only upset them. Omi chose to smile. He felt Shayla assisted him with that. Suddenly, he felt an arm sling around his shoulders and jolted with a bit of surprise. "Why not inside, Queen of Ireland?" He laughed, proving his point with a bright smile. Together, they entered the cafe and sat down in a booth away from the window. "I'll have a caramel latte!" He said as the waiter wrote it down. "Their iced coffee is irresistible here."

Shayla couldn't help but laugh at Omi. First blushing and then jesting with her. She turned to the waiter and ordered a mocha latte in seemingly perfect Japanese. She smiled triumphantly at Omi. "I think I'm finally getting the hang of this whole 'language' thing." She settled into her seat, wiggling her toes in her flats she looked around the cafe before settling her gaze back on Omi. Things in Japan truly were different from Ireland and especially from Buncrana. But it was a welcome change. She leaned forward to rest her elbows on the table, looking at Omi expectantly. "Since you've told me loads about yourself already we have to mix things up. Tell me about this city. About school. Something to prepare myself."

Omi smiled, "I think you are too. Sounded perfect to me!" He sat back into the cushion and just watched her. It seemed like she was really thinking about something. When she spoke, it surprised him slightly. He had to think about his response briefly... "Hmm... Tokyo? Well, there's a place called Asakusa, which is considered old Tokyo. Also there's the Meiji shrine, which is one of the biggest shrines, and my personal favorite. Let's see... Harajuku is where all the young people hang out, and the rockers. Shibuya and Shinjuku are huge shopping districts where a lot of people like us go. And Akihabara is the anime zone for all the Otakus out there." Omi placed a hand on his chin in thought. "And school, well...I heard that Japan's school districts are much stricter than in other countries, especially the United States. We also go longer periods of time than other countries, having only small breaks in intervals." He nodded, his cerulean eyes finally turning to focus on her. "Is there anything else I can tell you?" He laughed, knowing full-well that he had told her way too much. Omi had a habit of doing that...

Rani smiled, only struggling a little with the bags she carried. Her shopping trip had been a complete success. She had managed to find a nice black dress, a couple skirts and dressy tops... even some new shoes. Oh, and some bras. The boys hadn't really done a good job of finding her undergarments. She laughed to herself as she imagined the four guys wandering a ladies' lingerie section. Oddly enough, it seemed to her like Yohji would fit best in that area. Shrugging her shoulders she walked into the house, she was initially shocked by how quiet it was. The only thing she could hear was… well, she couldn't quite recognize it. She walked up the stairs and put her bags into her room. She decided to get everything sorted before going to find Aya. She had talked with several of the sales ladies and knew that she had to talk to Aya about something important. She was almost dreading it and therefore tried to push it off.

Someone had come in the house! Ken rushed from the bathroom and was confronted with... a mountain of shopping bags! He gasped and threw himself backwards. The horror! There was no mistaking it... it was a girl! The brunette turned nonchalantly away from the protruding pile and headed back into the confines of his room. Better not to be noisy. There was an 88% chance that it was Rani and to cross with Rani meant to cross with Aya.

Shayla had listened avidly, because you could only learn so much on the internet. She smiled at Omi's enthusiasm. After he had finished speaking and taken a breath, she shook her head after a moment. "No I think you've definitely covered a lot. But I would love to see some of it!" She grinned at him, finishing off her coffee. She had been drinking it the entire time he had been talking.

Omi took note of that and stared down at his own coffee in sorrow. It had been melting the whole time his mouth had been running. Now it would taste a bit watered down. Ah, well... He began finishing it off, his cerulean eyes barely leaving her a moment. It was clear he was entranced with her beauty and finesse. There was just something about her that all the other girls didn't possess. "We can go wherever you want..." He trailed off, thinking a bit. "Oh! Have you been to your school yet? You are going to high school here, right? Which one is it?" Omi liked asking questions; his mind was an encyclopedia on life.

Shayla shook her head, thinking for a moment. "I haven't been to the school yet. I think it's called... Koukou?"

Omi laughed and shook some chestnut hair from his face. "Koukou means...HIGH SCHOOL," Omi said proudly in English, wielding a heavy Japanese accent. He wallowed joyfully in his use of the foreign tongue and then leaned back, reverting to Japanese. "I believe you said it was called Keisai koukou, same school as me, right?"

Shayla laughed, rolling her eyes. "I don't remember all of it... I haven't looked at the paperwork in ages. And your English wasn't half bad." She smiled, "I'm ready to go when you are."

"Ah, alright~" Omi smiled and stood up. "It's a few stops by train."

Shayla stood as well. "I'll follow your lead; I'm still trying to learn the city."

"I'll teach you as much as I can!" Omi left money for the coffee on the table, walking to the glass door, and holding it open for her. The bell on the top rung softly as they exited.

_To be continued..._


	11. Tears and Awakening

**Author's Note**: Toldja Schwarz was coming in soon~

* * *

**Chapter Ten**:

Shayla couldn't believe it. Tokyo was beyond amazing. After Omi had shown her how to get to the high school, he had taken her exploring around the city. And there was so much to see. Shayla honestly couldn't believe it. She rarely let go of Omi's hand the entire time, dragging him towards various things to make him explain. Sure, she could've pulled his arm. But she liked holding onto his hand and it made her laugh when he turned pink. She may not have understood originally why her grandmother's dying wish was for her to move in with Hoshi in Japan, but she blessed her grandmother's memory for the demand. Somewhere she must've known that Shayla would love Tokyo. The only real downside was the lack of open space nearby for her to go on her usual runs. But she could work through that. It was nearing 1:30 as Shayla paused in the middle of the sidewalk. She glanced down at her stomach and grinned sheepishly at Omi. "Something tells me it's about time to eat some lunch."

Omi was nearing on exhaustion as his mouth ran to keep up with their steps. He loved sharing things and very often had a hard time finding a caring audience. Ken was always running off somewhere, Aya never had any input, and Yohji just flat out didn't care and opted with waving him off when he tried to share his newest bit of obsession. All in all, the short blond lead of a life bridging on loneliness and insecurity. However, Aya tended to fill the gap between his familial origins, but in recent times the redhead was too busy tending to his sister to comply to his Omi duties. Besides, Omi already knew that they all cared; they just didn't want to give away their precious time to a computer wiz that spoke in codes. That was what separated them from Shayla. She never seemed to disappear no matter the circumstance. For once in all their lives, it seemed the female gender was breaking down the door of Weiss' lives. Except Ken...he was getting different offers related to...soccer. And with Aya, well, it was his sister. Not that Omi was trying to say that their fearless leader had romantic feelings for his sister, but that the painful era of his life was now over upon his sister waking up. For once... things were looking up. And it made Omi smile—smile and pour his heart out on the pavement for Shayla to do with what she will. For once, Omi was not afraid. Yes, the Irish girl was in danger just breathing the same air as him. Yes, Omi didn't deserve it. Yes, she was holding the hand of a murderer who killed for justice. But at this point in his teenage life, Omi just didn't _want_to care anymore. Unpreventable things were unpreventable and to deny this feeling would be more painful than letting it bloom while it could. Regardless of its blood-red color and regardless of how fleeting it might be... He turned to her and smiled. "Why not eat in Harajuku? I know a fabulous crepe place."

Hoshi was ready. Or at least as ready as she'd ever be. She was sitting at the cafe where she and Ken had agreed to meet, typing on her laptop. It was a half hour before the meeting, but she wanted to get there early. For about the 100th time today, she was reviewing her questions. She was also typing out yet another version of her article's introduction. And on top of all that, she was being bombarded with emails about university classes starting. She groaned. Busy was not even the right word to describe her life right now. She glanced down at her watch, wishing for it to be 2 o'clock. Maybe if she was lucky, he would show up early too?

Nami awoke slowly, realizing she had just spent most of the morning and into the afternoon sleeping. Which was definitely unusual. She shifted slightly, propping herself up on her elbows. She looked down at Yohji and smiled. She didn't think anyone could possibly look so peaceful while asleep. It had definitely been an interesting past couple of days. He had somehow managed to wiggle his way into her heart. And that could bode very ill for her, over the course of the near future. She thought about walking him up and "thanking" him again for being so wonderful... until she remembered WHY she wanted to thank him. Michelle. Shit. Talk about being a bad friend. Nami carefully crawled from the bed and darted into the living room, shutting the bedroom door carefully behind her. She plopped down on the couch and hit the speed-dial button, letting it ring.

"Hi I'm Ken." _No._ That sounded stupid; she already knew who he was. They had met at the soccer game. "Yo Hidaka here!~" _Too Yohji._ ARGH this was getting frustrating! He was ready to pull his hair out. AND it looked like it was about to rain so to take his motorcycle would be stupid. And there was no way in hell he was going to take the flowershop van. Yohji had taken the pink monstrosity to drive away the weird girl that was Yohji's girlfriend's friend before she lost it or something. So it was low on gas. Ken didn't want to run out of gas. The weather said it wasn't going to rain, but the soccer fanatic was ready to bet that that was bullshit. Weather was a liar. Always was. He sighed and flipped up his hood, putting on his bike helmet and a brown leather coat over his orange hoodie. And if he didn't say so himself, he looked handsome beyond all reason! He started her, listening to Yuriko's sweet hum that reminded him of somber times in hotels and rain. Missions and disease...a hill of flowers and Australia. He sighed and growled off to the cafe, knowing he would arrive early for once. _That_ was how important this was to him. And he was glad he stayed because leaving Weiss was something impossible to him. He just hoped that Kritiker wouldn't give him shit about joining the league again. He would have to talk to Omi about it eventually... He just would give up his early morning shift in the Koneko...that's all. Maybe Yohji could take it for him or something? He shrugged to himself as he hoped off Yuriko and through the doors of his favorite cafe, La Fleur. Looking around, he tried to see if the reporter lady was there before him. This better not be a trap...he was unarmed...for once.

Rani had spent a good chunk of the morning doing laundry and organizing all of her new clothes in her room. That and… stalling. She needed to talk to Aya, but she was terrified to do it. As she had been shopping, several of the sales ladies commented on how school was beginning. When Rani explained her age, they excitedly asked her if she had decided to go to university. And it was all Rani could think about on her walk home. True, she had been in a coma for three years. She had missed a lot. But Sakura had been helpful in filling in details and Omi promised to tutor her. She didn't want to be going back to high school. The idea made her groan. She wanted to stay here and try at university. Surely they could make an exception for her, if she passed entrance exams? She shook her head, clearing the questions from her mind. First things first, she needed to talk to her older brother. And she couldn't put it off any longer. Walking quietly from her room she walked to the practice room, knocking timidly on the door, almost hoping he wouldn't hear.

Aya was sitting in the middle of the floor, eyes closed as he cleaned his sword expertly. Not a tinge of rust, not a drop of blood, sweat, or oil from his hands. It was spotless before he opened his eyes and saw that it was spotless. Narrowed icy blue eyes flickered to the door where a pathetic excuse for a knock echoed throughout the new silence. He stood up in a fluid motion and flung open the door, about to demand that Omi not bother him. That was when he noticed that it wasn't the younger boy, but his sister. He almost felt insulted that his sister be the one to bear the burden of owning such a sad-sounding knock. He made a mental note that he teach her the correct way to announce her presence with vigor. He scoffed and blinked at her, hoping for some sort of explanation before he had to ask.

Michelle had spent a quiet morning and afternoon. After a big breakfast she had cleaned up the house and tended her herb garden. She also attempted to scry for a certain individual but as in the past, she came up with nothing. She knew he was getting closer though. She could sense it. And she feared it. She was returning from practicing her new power in the woods around her house as her cellphone vibrated in her pocket. She looked at the ID and smiled fondly. She picked up. "Hello there, friend."

Nami smiled. "Hey there. I'm sorry I haven't called sooner. How are you feeling?"

"It's alright. I figured you were busy. I'm doing... better. The pain is gone and now I just have the nightmares."

"Same ones?"

"Same ones. But anyway. What did you do last night?"

"Umm.." Nami chuckled nervously. "Well.."

"Let me guess. Yohji?"

Nami laughed. "Yeeeeah.. mad at me?"

Michelle shook her head with a chuckle. "No, why would I be? Have you talked to him about what that Aya-guy said?"

"No..." Nami trailed off. "Things were… We didn't have time. But I'm going to. I promise."

"Well, hop to it. And Nami, I hope it works out for you."

"Thanks Michelle. Talk to you soon?"

"Of course." Michelle said goodbye and hung up the phone, going into her house. She really did hope with all her heart that Yohji understood… that things between Nami and him worked out. She had honestly never seen Nami so devoted to a guy before. There must be something about him, right? But Aya... Michelle sighed. He would be a problem for them. She had no idea what ridiculous accusations he made but she knew they weren't true. And somehow she felt he wasn't that type that offered apologies or forgave easily. And even if he grew to grudgingly like Nami (because who couldn't?)... she doubted she would ever receive a thank you for helping save his life. She doubted... a lot of things. She sighed heavily. "Time for an afternoon glass of wine and movie, I think," she murmured to herself, going into the kitchen.

Nami hung up her cell phone as well, leaving it on the coffee table. With a frustrated groan, she stood. Michelle was right. She needed to talk to him. And soon. Like... now. Except he was asleep, which made things problematic. She could probably wake him up, she pondered as she moved towards the bedroom. Yet, she had a feeling waking someone up and then going "We need to talk." was a really bad idea. But she didn't have much of a choice. And she felt that Yohji knew it too. Going back into the bedroom, she crawled back into bed, fluffing her pillow and leaning against the headboard. She looked down at Yohji, an arm over him, poised to begin nudging. And she couldn't. He still looked way too peaceful. So instead, she began to gently run her fingers through his hair. Let him wake up on his own… it would give her a little more time in paradise.

Yohji felt the bed move and the presence of warmth leave it beside his half-naked body. He jolted upward, thinking it was a girl leaving him on a one-night-stand instead of the other way around. Instead, he came back to himself and realized that it was Nami getting up again. She was right...they couldn't just stay in bed all day, lying against each other with the soft breeze wafting through the open window. He chuckled to himself at the fact that she had forgotten to shut it when she turned on the air conditioning for him. He rose from the bed and went to the door, but froze upon hearing half of a conversation. _"Things were… We didn't have time. But I'm going to. I promise."_ Going to what? Yohji bit his lip and heard the beep from the phone shutting off. Her footsteps were coming closer. Shit! The closet! He looked around in horror and suddenly realized the best hiding spot of all! He leaped into the bed and shut his eyes, forcing himself to breathe deeply. It would be bad to be caught hearing something he wasn't meant to. He nearly jumped when she began to touch his hair...then he just felt like a tool. He creaked open his eyes and faked a yawn. "Afternoon yet?"

Shayla smiled brightly back at Omi. "Crepes? Sounds absolutely perfect to me, Omi! Lead the way." She let Omi take her towards Harajuku, still asking the occasional question. She was looking forward to the short break on their tour of Tokyo, mostly to rest her feet. As they walked, she kept her hand in Omi's gently swinging them back and forth. "Once I'm settled in with Hoshi, I shall have to have you over to try some good Irish fare, Omi." She laughed. "There's nothing quite like a full Irish breakfast. Great way to start the day!"

The short boy glanced at their swinging hands and then quickly looked away, hiding a boyish blush. What? He never held a girl's hand...there was no problem with being embarrassed about it. They were getting stares. All those primped up Japanese girls and their metal-dangling male entourages. Omi swallowed and looked at the pristine walkway under their feet that led to the Shibuya subway station. They would take the Yamanote line straight to Harajuku... If Omi didn't pass out first. Should he tell her...? He was wondering this all day, but... to voice it made him feel sick. Japanese people didn't outwardly show their affection...often. So th-this was sort of... way too many steps for Omi to handle. He expertly slipped his hand out of hers with a grand smile, using the ticket machine as an excuse. He tapped a few buttons and yanked out her ticket, handing it to her. He turned and grinned his full-sunshine smile. "You cook! I had no idea. That sounds amazing. Where do you live anyway, Shinagawa?" He tossed bangs out of his eyes and boarded the train with her that wasn't as crowded as it should be during this time of day.

Hoshi had registered a motorcycle pulling up to the cafe but chose to ignore it. She had finally written an introduction she was mostly pleased with. She saved the document one last time before shutting down her laptop. She was slipping the computer into her bag when she her the bell chime above the front door of the cafe. In walked... Ken Hidaka? Well, he definitely looked different. Hoshi wasn't sure what she had been expecting but she wasn't expecting... a motorcycle helmet? So that was him? Wow. Hoshi smiled to herself. This would most certainly be an interesting interview. She suddenly looked forward to learning more about Ken. Standing from her seat, she began to wave in Ken's direction, hoping he would recognize her and come over.

The brunette was situating his white dress shirt as he contemplated his past wardrobe. The green soccer jersey and brown pants hadn't fit well... so hopefully this would... He smoothed out his black jeans and buttoned his shirt a little more, draping the orange hoodie over one arm because tying it around his waist was _unprofessional_. Ken had learned! After all Yohji's bitching. Then...he spotted her! She was zippering her laptop case and looking at him expectantly. He walked over and flopped his leather coat and hoodie over the booth. She finished waving him over and then Ken did it—what he had practiced all morning. "Hi I'm Ken."

Rani seemed surprised when Aya opened the door. He just scoffed and looked at her. Normally he smiled when he saw her... she must've interrupted something. Maybe she should just come back— ...No. It had to happen. "Hi, oniisan. I was wondering... if we could talk about something?" She thought about waiting for him to answer, but decided to just get it out. She ended up talking really fast, some of her words blurring together. "Iwashopingwecouldstayhereand I could tryandgotouniversitysinceI'moldenough and Idon'twanttogobacktohighschool." She looked up at him expectantly, hoping he would just agree without really thinking about what she had said.

Aya opened his mouth to tell her to go on, but she continued away, saving him the trouble of having to prod for an answer. He shut it once more and listened like any older brother would: with his protective instincts at an all-time high. He slammed his sword into its sheath and rose immediately to his feet so they were eye to eye. "Stay here? Do you have any idea what we do every night? Do you _understand_ the danger that puts you in? People were after your _life_, Aya," he hissed, shoving his katana into the belt of his cotton pants. He moved closer to her, eyes slit into a hateful glare as he imagined her there...in the hands of the enemy. "ESSET," he spat like poison caught in the back of his throat. "Go to college? While we stand in the delicate balance of evil? No. I won't allow it."

Nami smiled as Yohji opened his eyes and yawned. Well, apparently paradise wasn't going to last quite as long as she hoped. She chuckled, continuing to run her fingers through his hair. "Yeah, it's finally afternoon. You feel like you've finally had a decent day's sleep now?" She couldn't bring herself to say it... not yet. She would at least let him wake up more fully. Maybe if she was lucky he would bring it up first.

"Hmmmaybe." Yohji laughed, easing up on his elbows and taking a close look at her. She didn't seem to be up to anything. He sighed and rose from the bed, looking for his clothes. And...fail. "Nami, did you take my clothes and hide them or something? You just want me to prance around like this all day, don't you?"

Shayla had noticed strange glances as they walked in the subway station, but had barely registered them. Even back home, she had always been given the oddest looks. So she was totally used to it. Glancing at Omi as he moved away to get their tickets, she noticed he was still a little pink. Was he... embarrassed to be holding hands with her? She has assumed all of the looks had been directed at her, but now she wasn't so sure. She glanced down momentarily, while Omi was turned away. She had realized that cultures would likely be different but... did he _have_ to seem that embarrassed all the time? She looked up as he was walking back towards her, smiling. She smiled in return, holding out her hand of her ticket. She followed him onto the train and quickly found two seats next to each other. She sat down and immediately began to twiddle her thumbs in her lap. She then responded to his earlier statement with a chuckle. "I cook, but not very well. A few traditional dishes and a well-made bowl of boxed macaroni and cheese." She then tapped her fingers against her leg, rolling her eyes upwards, thinking. "Umm... you know, I'm not entirely sure." She looked at him, smiling sheepishly. "I know that I live about 15 minutes from your flower shop, in a huge apartment building. Hoshi has a penthouse suite there."

Omi stood up almost immediately after sitting down and offered his seat to an older woman that came on. She smiled and nodded slightly at him, hunkering down next to Shayla and gossiping to what appeared to be her grandchild about how boys these days were actually getting more proper. Omi blanched and moved to the other side of the bar, facing the girl whom he had held hands with the whole way here. That wasn't proper. _Oh gods don't smite me for having a good time! I'm not like all those other people that don't care I swear!_ He sighed and leaned against the side of the long, cushioned subway bench. "Hey isn't that an _American _dish? I've never had that. I would really like to try your cooking, Shayla. I bet it's better than you're making it sound!" He grinned and the stop for Harajuku was called over the speakers. The doors opened and hip people poured out. Omi, this time, grabbed for her hand and pulled her out before the doors crushed them both. And then the train was gone in a gust of wind. Here, it wasn't as weird to hold hands. People didn't really pay it mind. In fact...a couple was making out over there in the corner. Omi twitched inwardly and flitted his warm sky eyes onto Shayla. She was so...pretty. He couldn't believe...that this moment was even happening. She just... came to Japan? Just like that? Unbelievable. He walked them down the famous Takeshita street, passing vendor and vendor and store and store packed full of the best fashion in Japan. They hit a crepe stand a small walk down and joined the line of ravenous young adults. They turn came and soon they had a giant handful of deliciousness that they had to finish before heading back to Shinjuku. Omi was exhausted. It was like he had never talked that much in his life. This was _living_and the assassin couldn't believe he had lost touch with the one thing that was normal for every typical human. He tossed out his pink wrapper into the recycling and turned to her. "Ready to go back?"

Hoshi moved to shift in order to shake his hand, to begin the interview professionally. But then he opened his mouth. And she couldn't help but giggle, although very quickly. Recovering, she reached out her hand and shook his. "And I'm Hoshi. It's very nice to meet you again." She then sat, sliding her arms under her legs as she sat to keep her skirt from shifting. She then gathered her small notepad and pen, placing them in front of her. She motioned that he should sit and after he had, leaned forward slightly. "Now, you don't mind if I take some notes during our chat today, do you?" She also gestured to the two glasses of water on the table, that she had gotten when she arrived. "In case you get thirsty." She then leaned back to wait until he appeared ready to begin.

Ken sat down, unable to help the blush of embarrassment that filled the 18-year-old's features. Curses! He had failed. Better luck next time, right? Maybe...didn't seem like there would be a next time for this situation. "T-thanks," he muttered and took a long swing of the water. Ken had a large gulp due to only small breaks in the action. Hell yeah. He shook brown bangs from his teal eyes and gave a front page smile. "By all means."

Rani blinked her eyes once... twice. She... couldn't believe her ears. Or her eyes. Her brother had never looked so angrily at her before. She hadn't really expected him to get this angry. But she had especially not expected him to be this... cruel. She could feel the hurt welling inside her, that he wouldn't even consider her feelings first. And followed swiftly was the anger, rolling upwards in a boil. She looked at her defiantly, no longer afraid by the dark look within them. "I am well aware what you do every night, _Ran_. And I already told you that I didn't care about what you did. If you want to stop it, then stop." She tried to contain her anger but she couldn't, feeling her fingers clenching into fists at her side. "You have friends here. I have friends here now. And what do you want to do? Leave? Or would you rather just make me stay in my room to protect me from the 'evil'?" She could feel her voice growing louder, almost shouting. "There's evil everywhere in the world. But I don't care. I've already missed out on three years of life so far, _Ran_. I don't deserve to miss anymore because you're SCARED." She thought about fleeing then, running for the hills. But no... today she would stand up to her brother. Make him understand what it was she wanted.

... Aya first inclination was to immediately leave the room and escape the confrontation with his selfish, ignorant little sister. He almost found himself wishing that she was still asleep...that way he could play out the fairy tale of their lives together in his head. It sure wouldn't involve this—it wouldn't involve having to explain..._this_, which shouldn't be explained—which should be kept in the far reaches of the darkness—where blood ran cold into the sewers of nevermore—where redemption's spiny fingers couldn't ever reach. But that was escaping reality...and that was something Aya never did...or Ran. He was the same person. Just...twisted into a cage of non-morality—an inescapable justice that took the lives of people. _People_ with smiles just as real as their maliciousness. He crossed his arms without realizing that he had just done what his father always did in a predicament. Stamping down the deluge of anger, he let it filter into his eyes, glinting violet. "Are you? You understand what it's like to _kill_ someone, Rani? I—we can't stop; it's too late to go back. Leaving would deny all that I am—all that I've become and the sacrifices we've made. Those three years while you slept... do you know what I've been through? _Scared_? Do you even know who I am anymore?"

Shayla couldn't help smiling as Omi offered his seat to an old woman. _So sweet! _She laughed, looking up at him. "Yes, it's American. But it's just too delicious. I'd love for you to come over and try my cooking soon." She smiled and then squeaked in surprise as the train stopped. She barely had time to register that they were at their stop before Omi had grabbed HER hand and dragged her out of the train. They stood there for a moment on the platform and Omi was just holding her hand and... looking at her. She turned a little pink and looked down, biting the side of her lip. {Oh, wow. If I had known being around Omi would be this... this... wow.} She followed him out of the station and down a fabulous looking street. She tried to keep her questions to a minimum as they strolled down to a little crepe cart. Before she realized it, she was holding this handful of crepes in her hand. She felt terribly undignified but she couldn't help but scarf it down. She threw out her wrapper in the recycling can and turned to him. "Omi that was delicious! I haven't had a good crepe in ages." She then nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready to go back when you are."

Rani stared up at her brother, the anger rushing out of her. She had thought what he said before was cruel... that didn't even come close to what just came from his mouth. So, he wanted to stay in this Weiss and kill people... but she couldn't try and go to college? He really expected her to just hide away for the rest of her life? Like some kind of a child... she couldn't understand it. She had grown while she had been in that coma. Couldn't he see that? Her eyes filled with tears, her voice dropping to a whisper. "No... I guess not." With a shuddering sob she finally did what she had been wanting to do since she had first knocked on the door of the practice room... she ran. She turned and ran from the house, tears falling blindly down her cheeks. She had no idea where she was going but she soon realized she was at the Shinjuku train station. She bought a ticket, trying to stifle her sobs to quiet murmurs. As she waited impatiently at the station, she worried. She worried Aya would come after her and take her away. She worried she would never be able to go home again. As the train arrived she began to move towards it as the door opened. She stumbled and bumped into someone coming out of the train. Looking up to apologize she saw... Omi? With a new heartfelt sob, she threw her arms around him, her tears starting anew.

They had gone back the same way they came, but this time when the train stopped, someone ran into him. Now this was a common thing in Japanese subways, so Omi barely noticed that it was someone he knew. It wasn't until she called his name and wrapped her arms around his neck that he realized it was Rani. "Wahh!" He stammered and nearly toppled into Shayla, grabbing hold of the railing and pushing both girls out of the way of straight-lining business men. "Wh-why are you crying, Rani? Where's Aya...why are you not with someone?" He glanced at Shayla, giving her a bewildered expression as he helped the long-haired girl onto a nearby bench. "Tell me what happened. No one tried to do anything to you, right?"

Shayla hurried to the bench and as Omi helped Rani to sit, she wrapped around the girl's shoulders. She rubbed her arm comfortingly as Rani sobbed out her story into her shoulder.

Rani allowed herself to be moved to the bench, collapsing down next to Shayla. She didn't know Shayla well at all, but at that moment was extremely grateful for her. Looking at Omi through tear-stained eyes, she slowly brought out her sad tale. "I-I-I-... just wanted to try going to college. So I asked Aya. And... Aya..." She trailed off, her sobbing beginning anew.

Shayla glanced at Omi over Rani, her eyes wide as she responded to Rani in a quiet tone. "And you two had a fight?"

Rani responded with another sob. "I ca-ca-can't go back there. He's probably so ma-ma-mad at me. He was s-s-so... mean!" Rani took a deep breath, attempting to slow her tears. She knew that a public train station wasn't the best place to have a breakdown. But she didn't really have much of a choice.

Shayla was in shock. This poor girl! She wanted something simple and her brother had refused? True, Shayla didn't really know the whole story at all. But Shayla was shocked at how hurt Rani was. She had only met the girl once before but this was ridiculous. "Why doesn't Rani come back to my place, Omi? She can cool down for a little while." She again looked over Rani at Omi, hoping he had been following along.

Oh. Aya had happened. Well, that was to be expected. Omi found that he wasn't all that surprised by Rani's drenched answer. He felt his heart go out to her, but at the same time to her brother. Rani was in danger—a prime target for ESSET. And he knew that not all of ESSET was destroyed when the temple sank into the ocean. There was more...but he kept that suspicion to himself. Did that mean that Aya had the same thoughts as him? This worried the boy more than the episode between brother and sister. He knew they would make up in good time, but... ESSET... still existing. He bit his lip and stared blankly at the wall. If that were the case then... He glanced blue eyes at Shayla, looking empathetic and worried. AH PROBLEMS. He ruffled his own hair and let out a frustrated sigh. "Yes, please. I'll drive. Let's just get back to the Koneko real quick." He looked at Rani. "We don't have to go inside." Normally, he would have said something comforting right about now, but the sick feeling in his stomach was pushing him further and further away from any hope that remained after they pulled themselves battered and bruised from the seawater that stung like hell. Omi was nervous, and he had a feeling that it wouldn't go away any time soon.

No...I guess not. She guessed not...to Aya's question. So his own sister claimed to not know him? Aya clutched his chest as if she had ripped his heart out while she was at it. He had to make sure it was still beating because he really wasn't sure that he was still alive himself. Because it hurt that much. He didn't bother running after her. She could be kidnapped...hit by a car... But all those things had already happened to her. Life went by...she never even asked him anything at all. What had Sakura told her before she died? He slammed his head into his hand, tearing at red hair until his scalp nearly bled. It didn't hurt at all. Not at all when compared to his life. Sometimes he wondered why so much pain could be harbored all in one place. But it wasn't really that surprising. When he fought Crawford...what he had said... he almost didn't believe it anymore. Because...was there still love left in the world at all?

Hoshi smiled brightly at Ken as he blushed. She couldn't really help it. Any other interview and she would be serious, polite and all business. But this Ken Hidaka, she couldn't help herself. He was... awkward. But in the most delightful way. She took a sip of her own water and then picked up her pen. "Well, Ken, let's start at the top. Tell me about your phone call with the league." She leaned back in her seat, gently tapping her foot against the side of the table.

Good she was smiling. That meant goodness. But she was tapping her foot. Didn't that usually mean that someone was pressed for time? Shit maybe he should talk faster. All he had to say was how the phone call went with the league. Right the phone call...the— "Oh...um...about that...I haven't actually done that...yet." Silence. Internal panic. He felt like a failure. They must have sent him mail with an invitation to join back. But he didn't even have the number to call anymore. What would Case say? _"Ken Hidaka, what an idiot! The least you could do would be to officially accept! Get your head in the game."_ Head. In. Game. Ken took a deep breath and smiled. "I thought that I could call now and you could get everything word for word. You journalists like using direct quotes right?" He wasn't out of the game yet...not yet.

Nami chuckled and then crawled out of her comfortable spot to lay on her stomach, looking down at the floor. She glanced around, and shifted so that she was half hanging off the bed, her head and arms ducked underneath her bed. Shortly she came up with most of his clothes, albeit minus a sock. "Here," she said with a laugh, tossing his clothes towards him. "While I wouldn't mind having you prance around half-naked all day, I guess you can get dressed." She then shifted back to sit in her bed. She still couldn't say it. She felt the words on the tip of her tongue and just sat as she watched him get his clothes together.

"Why thank you, Princess," Yohji chimed with his lady-killer smile. He proceeded to put on his clothes with relative care whilst staring at Nami laying on the bed. Oh why did days have to start? And it was their last day off. Oh why did the shop have to open tomorrow? Life was a bitch—a pretty bitch that gave him Nami. Maybe it wasn't so bad. "Visit me tomorrow? And what's the plan for today...since it's nearly over?"

Nami watched him get dressed, a small smile playing across her lips. She thought about getting dressed herself but considering she was in shorts and a tank top already... full clothes could come later. She chuckled, smiling briefly. "Of course I'll visit you tomorrow." She rolled out of bed and moved to her closet. She opened the doors and stood with her hip cocked, one hand on said hip. With her back to Yohji, her face contorted into a look of absolute dread. As she reached for a pair of jeans, she opened her mouth. Now or never. "What is Weiss? And Neu?" She clenched her eyes shut, pulling the jeans to her chest and holding them as if it were her last lifeline on Earth. Time to find out whether or not she blew it.

Yohji finished zippering his fly and froze mid-zip. He turned slowly with wide, green eyes. Biting his lip fiercely, he cursed Aya and his inclination to ruin Yohji's relationships. Thanks, buddy. For all the _help_. Go to hell while you're at it. And rot there. He clenched his fists and took a long deep breath. It was over. "It's in the past. She..." Yohji sat down on the bed, looking like someone had run over his face, "was an imposter that looked exactly like Asuka. Asuka is— no one. She's dead." He took another shuddering breath and held his face in his hands. "Weiss is who we are." And who they were Yohji did not want to explain to her. She couldn't know...it was not only against Kritiker policy, but it would also endanger her life. But Aya had almost quit Weiss before...why couldn't he? They were bound as a family...by blood. Their sins held differing people together. Yohji couldn't leave...even if it _was_ for Nami. So he couldn't leave and then tell her. To not tell her... was something he would have normally done without the bat of an eye. However...to not tell her... He would lose her—lose Nami. Nami was...not like the others. To lose her...Yohji almost felt like it would be like losing Asuka again. He couldn't take it. Being a man, he needed a woman. If Weiss stripped him of that requirement, that is Yohji's core, then Weiss could fuck itself. "I can't tell you more...or so they say...so keep it a secret or we both die. Weiss is a team of assassins. We kill those who cannot be brought to justice under the law. That's it." Now to see how she would take it... Yohji braced himself for the worst.

Nami could swear she heard Yohji freeze. She turned around slowly as he sat down on the bed, speaking so quietly about Neu and... Asuka? There was definitely more to Yohji than even she had expected. When he spoke about Weiss, his head hung in his hands and her heart cried out to him. He looked so terrible. As if he was ruining everything and not her. Nami assumed that the "we" he meant was his other roommates. Ken and Aya and... Nami shook her head. The other name escaped her at the moment but she remembered a blonde-haired teenager from the field. Yohji continued to speak so calmly about how he was assassin, how he killed people who someone cheated the system of justice. {How does someone get mixed up in something like that?} Nami couldn't bear to see Yohji looking so... defeated. She knew that their conversation was far from over. Being with an assassin was going to make for a complicated relationship. Nami smiled ruefully to herself as she rested her jeans on the bed and crawled over it towards Yohji. Yes, she wanted to be with him. Come what may, she wasn't going to run away now. She'd gone in too deep already. She sat behind Yohji, so that her legs rested on either side of him. Nami wrapped her arms around him from back to front and rested her head against his back. She let her eyes flutter closed and just held onto him. And just to be sure he got her message, she whispered quietly, "I'm not going anywhere, Yohji..."

Hoshi chuckled nervously. He hadn't called yet? Oh dear... She smiled in relief as he smiled at her, explaining he was going to call there, in order to give her a bird's eye-view of the action. "Do you have the phone number with you?" When he shook his head ruefully, she groaned inwardly. He was genuine but a bit absent-minded. Pulling out her cellphone, she smiled at him. "I believe I have the direct number of the league. Let me get the director on the line." She went through her contacts and and pushed "send" to initiate the call.  
Ring Ring Ri- "J-League. How can I direct your call?"  
"Yes, my name is Zora Hoshi and I am with the Tokyo Times. I was hoping I could speak to the director in regards to Hidaka Ken rejoining the league. I hap-" Hoshi gasped as the shrill secretary woman cut her off.  
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but the director is not talking about that at the moment. If you wish to speak to him directly you'll have to dial his _private_ line. Good day." Click.  
Hoshi snapped her phone shut with a glare. "Well, THAT was beyond rude." She glanced at Ken, smiling sheepishly. "Apparently, the director is only talking about your situation through his private line. It has to be on that letter you got. Did you ever find it?" She looked at him hopefully. _Please, please, please! I need this story!_

This was serious. Ken's teal-colored eyes narrowed in deep contemplation. As he listened, the situation only got graver. It wasn't like he cared if this lady got her story or not, but he felt he _wanted_ to help her. Like a normal 18-year-old, he felt important and bathed in the brief moments of normalcy. This was one of those times where drastic times called for drastic measures. He took a deep breath. "TO THE TRASH!" He wasn't really sure if she would laugh and walk out or raise her fist and rally behind him. Either way, he hoped she knew how to sit on a motorcycle.

Hoshi couldn't help it. She laughed. She shook her head and laughed. {Of course. Nothing ever comes easy.} She realized shortly that Ken might think she was crazy or perhaps he was insulted by her laughter. She quickly sobered up, smiling at him brightly. "As it seems to be our only option, we'd best get started." She put away her notepad and pen, placing them into her laptop bag. She then stood up, her bag slung over one shoulder. She looked down at him with a twinkle in her eyes, waiting for Ken to lead the way.

Rani nodded with a sniffle or two. "Thanks Shayla..." She also smiled weakly at Omi, grateful that he wanted to help her out. She was a little nervous about going back to the Koneko right away but if she didn't have to go inside then maybe it could be find. She stood up slowly, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Ok, I'm ready."

Shayla smiled at Omi as well, reaching over and squeezing his hand as she stood. He seemed to look troubled and Shayla couldn't pinpoint why. She assumed part of it was due to the fight, but then again... Omi shouldn't seem as troubled about that as he is. Shayla walked besides Rani out of the train station and together with Omi they headed to the Koneko.

The walk was rather short from the train station to the Koneko, however, Omi almost wished they had already driven...or at least to the station. Usually that was what the short blond did, but, what better way to show Shayla the city? The trains and walking to the stations was the flow of Tokyoite life, and besides, if they hadn't run into Rani, who knew where she would be right now. He sighed, dreading Aya's wrath later. The frozen leader was as protective as he always was... Couldn't really help it when the entire rest of your family was dead. Omi knew how it felt and how he too would act...if there had been anyone left in his own family. It made him wonder a second what Ken's parents would have looked like if they were alive...probably rapid sports fans whose entire place was decked out in the latest of their favorite teams. And by sports, Omi meant soccer because to them, only one sport existed: the one their son played! And what alien mishmash of creatures birthed Yohji? He was probably conceived by mistake by a government official on a one night stand while he was cheating on his wife who thought he was at a bar drinking with coworkers. Nah, that was too cruel. He probably had loving parents that—that... Okay stopping now would be a good idea. He side-glanced Rani and Shayla talking, feeling suddenly standoffish. It was the poison of ESSET that made him veer away from the girls—that almost made him want to walk on the other side of the street for fear of tainting them. A misguided fear, he knew, but it was hard not to feel like the rest of Weiss did when happiness came anywhere near.

And just when Yohji least expected it, legs coiled to either side of him, arms tight around his head that beat rapidly with surprise. A head that smelled of sweet perfume and...Nami pressed into his back and sent chills running rampant all over his body. He felt himself smile and wondered how that was possible when talking about his job—about Neu or Asuka. The only reason could be Nami. He let a warm hand fall onto her leg and hold her there, shutting his eyes too and envisioning a world where they both fit together. Since when had he become so serious? Since when could he bypass the pain of seeing the woman he loved shot dead? Since when...

When Yohji's arm fell to her leg, she wanted to cry out with relief. He understood. He told her, she accepted it, and he in turn had taken her acceptance. She couldn't have hoped for anything better. Well, better is that he wouldn't have to leave at the end of the day. But... that was kind of a bit much this early on, right? Sleeping together, revealing magical powers and a group of assassins? Yeah, saying 'live with me so you never have to leave' might be a bit much right now. Nami smiled against Yohji's back. "I know you have to keep it a secret, but... don- don't not tell me, ok? Like if something comes up... just let me know? Lame excuses are unacceptable," Nami said with a chuckle. "And... I'll try to be upfront about the whole 'magical powers' things and I can try to help you with yours? Although Michelle would probably be much better at that." Nami couldn't resist letting out a strangled laugh. "Maybe starting off a relationship with complicated stuff means that the rest of it will go swimmingly?"

"Yeah," Yohji muttered, "if it continues to be this damn hot." He laughed then and leaned back against her, staring at the various nick-nacks displayed on the top of her dusty dresser. He thought for a second, trying to let the fact that he just told a girl about Weiss soak in. He was a dead man... If anyone knew...they would chase him down the street with a butcher knife. He finished zippering his pants. "You're going to have to explain this weird powers thing to me. Are we supposed to be superheroes or some shit? I don't get it. People just don't...develop powers. And electricity, really? It works with my wires, but it would be so much cooler if I could light my cigarettes without a lighter or something. Plus, I can't control it so all it ever does is backfire and nearly kill me and anyone else near me. It's so annoying. I wish it would just go away because it makes me feel like the goddamn enemy—like I'm Schwarz or something." Rambling Yohji was rambling. He hated it and this whole situation. He almost wanted to go back to life when it was easy. Because, you know, killing people and not asking questions was easy. Ever since ESSET waltzed into their damn lives, it was like everything was fucked up. ESSET... the ceremony. THE CEREMONY. Yohji sucked in a sharp breath, heart pounding. What if... No...no that was impossible. One couldn't gain superpowers from being in the middle of a strange longevity ceremony to steal...the...non-aging ability from...Aya's sister. Not...aging...lightning. Oh shit. He threw himself up from the bed and grabbed Nami's shoulders. "Does the name ESSET mean anything to you?"

When she laughed, Ken panicked a moment. He failed...failed...failed! Him! Failing! Shuddering, he went to run out of the cafe in hopes to save the shreds of dignity he still had, hoping the journalist would not take down his worst moment yet. The trash...how idiotic. It just pissed him off. They really needed to stop throwing away their mail. Then...she spoke and Ken's eyes widened. She was seriously going to come and dig through the trash with him? Oh shit. He hadn't cleaned his room or anything... What if the kitchen was a mess? Aya would kill him for bringing a journalist anywhere near the Koneko let alone for what he was doing. Accepting... the league. Again. What if they were just trying to frame him again? What then! He clenched his hand into a fist and took a deep breath, forcing a smile that had no traces of being forced. Ken was an assassin indeed. "Suhweet! My bike—motorbike is outside. I gotta make a call so I'll be a minute. It's the orange one." He grabbed his double coats and put them on, speed-walking to the men's room. Not the best place to get in contact with Kritiker, but when the hell else would he! Ring...ring...

"Ken Hidaka, just the man I was thinking about."  
"Don't lie to me, Manx. I have a question."  
"Does it happen to do with the J-league you were asked to join?"  
"Yeah, it does."  
"Hm well then, aren't you going to ask me?"  
Ken sighed, leaning against a bathroom stall and staring at the stucco ceiling. "Would it be possible to use that as a cover job instead of being a florist?"  
A pause.  
"Do you deserve it, Ken, after everything you've done for this country...all the people you've sacrificed? What would K—"  
"Kase would want me to."  
"Do you understand the concept of time regarding this issue? If you use the J-league as a cover, then you would have to be able to leave it at a moment's notice."  
"I know... I've...I let that part of my life go a long time ago, but... I feel like it's come back for me. I already know I can't leave Weiss. At this point, it's not possible for me. The only thing I can do is try to be all that I am."  
"I understand, Ken. Good luck."  
Beep...beep...beep.

Blank stare... Somehow that conversation left Ken feeling more nervous and more uncomfortable than before he had called. Maybe he thought he would be completely rejected...that he could finally let go of his days at the top, but... he wasn't. It made him believe more that he was meant to continue with his career as a goalie. That maybe one day he could climb his way to the top and show that he wasn't just a killer. But did he deserve to achieve that? Did he deserve anything at this point? All Ken knew was the people needed happiness or they would die. That was why he dropped out of high school and pursued something greater. All it took was a simple phone call to change the course of one's life. Ken didn't like that very much; he was having trouble adapting as it was. He turned from the bathroom and raced out the door, getting a smile from the waitress who came to pick up the check on the table. He hopped on the motorcycle and revved the engine. "I hope you know how to hold on!" _Vrrrrrrerrrrrrrrerrrrrrr_! Blurs of cityscape, grey, grey, grey, people with umbrellas when it wasn't yet raining, unhappy faces, crying children, and...flowers. He parked on the front sidewalk and nearly ran over Omi who looked to be taking a leisurely stroll save for the obvious fact that he was trailing two women. Jesus the little squirt was turning into Yohji for god's— Oh, that was Rani. "Ousu!" Ken raised a hand with a bright smile and trotted over to the boy. "I have an interview with..." Backward thumb point. "...her! Can you believe it, Omi? The red-haired chick said it was okay!" Better not to use her name...

"Red-haired...chick? Oh. That's so great Ken!" Omi tried to smile, but appeared to be thinking too hard to successfully pull off a sunny day when it really looked like it was about to downpour. "Rani had a fight with Aya, so we're taking her to Shayla's place."

"That's coo—I mean that sucks. We're digging through trash and—"

Shayla walked closely behind Rani, ready to throw an arm around her at a moment's notice. Shayla was careful to keep the subject off of her fight with Aya and focused instead on all of the fun things they would do when they reached her apartment. "We'll just throw in a good movie, Rani. That'll help calm you down. Promise." Sooner than she expected, they arrived outside the flower shop and as Shayla and Rani waited for Omi to move inside for his ride, Shayla heard a rumble of a motorcycle. She saw it pull up and while she only sort of recognized one person, she definitely recognized... Hoshi? She stayed quietly next to Rani, letting the two boys interact.

Rani let Shayla change the conversation, smiling faintly. She still felt really hurt but she also knew that it would only upset Omi if she talked more about the fight. He already seemed distracted enough, though she couldn't understand as to why. The fight hadn't really been about him... well, maybe not? She suspected there was something about Weiss that played into all this. As the three of them stood outside the flower shop, she heard Ken's motorbike roll up. She instantly paled. She wasn't exactly feeling like the most social person at the moment and seeing Ken could make it worse. She watched as Ken and Omi chatted back and forth. Luckily, when Omi mentioned the fight, Ken seemed to blow it off, being far more excited about... trash digging?

Hoshi smiled at Ken as he had disappeared off into the bathroom. Motorcycle in a skirt? OK! She slipped out of the cafe, standing in front of the bike. Oh, wow. Hoshi's eyes were large as Ken came outside. He got onto the bike and Hoshi quickly slung her bag across her body. She thrust it behind her and hiking up her skirt the tiniest bit, she climbed on behind him. She looped her arms around him and screeched the tiniest bit as he took off. She watched in wonder as the city flew past them and before she wanted it to be over they arrived at the flower shop. Ken was off the bike in a flash, going to talk to... people? She got off the bike more gingerly, pulling down her skirt as she did. She then turned and cut off Ken in surprise, "Shayla? What are you doing here?"

"Hi, Hoshi! This is Omi, the friend I was telling you about." Shayla nodded over at Omi with a smile. "This is my new friend Rani. She's going to be coming back to the apartment for a little while, ok? We can talk about it later."

Hoshi nodded with a smile at Omi and Rani. "I'm not sure when I'll be back, you two. But I'll be happy to hang out when I get back." She then turned to Ken. "So, let's get this started, ok? Is there somewhere I can put my bag?"

"Wait, who's this?" Ken asked quietly after nearly getting his tongue ripped out by girl chatter happening relatively close...too close. He shivered. The goalie pointed at the other girl who he had initially thought to be Rani's friend, indicating that she was the one that Ken didn't know (obviously). Common sense finally peeked its meek eyes into the window of his rather crowded mind. He took a deep breath to prevent himself from exploding. Sometimes he wondered if there was a secret teenage girl magnet hidden under the cement directly below the flowershop... It sure wouldn't surprise him.

Omi stared at Ken for a moment before realizing that he never really introduced Shayla to anyone... God bless the hectic lifestyle and forgetfulness! "This is Shayla," he beamed with a smile, indicating to her, "she's actually been my friend for years online and just moved to Japan. Totally came as a surprise, haha!"

"That's cool," Ken nodded with a smile, shifting his eyes to focus on the girls he had previously been trying to avoid like the plague. "Nice to have some _friends _around, you know?"

"Un!" Omi nodded and then suddenly caught on, opening his mouth to yell at his teammate while his face commenced a shade of blush that would make any beautician proud.

It was Ken's turn to cut off, and he did it the right way: before any words even left Omi's mouth and _after_ all of Hoshi's left her's. He raised his voice just a few notches in volume—nowhere near his boiling point. "Hey." His stare intensified, gathering the attention of even Rani who looked like she was about to throw herself in front of a train or something. Geez, he really wasn't surprised; Aya did that to people. "I'm Ken. I'm glad you both know each other, but a few people here aren't acquainted and Rani looks like a drowned soccer ball. So...yeah we're going inside now. Nice to meet you." Ken turned, took Hoshi's hand without thinking about the fact that he was touching a girl, and walked right through the front door. "You can put your bag anywhere in here, just don't forget." He nodded and let go of her to hang his coats up (forgetting to tie his orange hoodie around his waist). "The mail should still be in the kitchen trash..." along with...Yohji's bloodied bandages from the other night. SHIT. He had to hide those...without acting suspicious. AHHHHHH! How? _How_? "Oh uh...um if you want..you—Oh! I left my helmet outside. Would you mind grabbing it for me real quick? I'm going to see if Aya is around." He wasn't a bad liar, was he?

Blush drained successful! "Yeah...that's Ken. Anywho...Shall we?" Omi took a few steps to go around back, looking back to make sure that the two of them were following him. They were and he jogged the rest of the way to the garage where his own motorcycle was waiting. He quickly and efficiently attached the side carrier and yanked out the seat belt, moving his eyes to the two girls who just about reached him. "Rani do you want to ride on the side? It's safer." He grinned and hopped on, starting the engine and getting ready to set out to Shayla's apartment that she apparently shared with Hoshi, Ken's interviewer. Small world... He was quick not to miss that one. He doubted Ken put two and two together...

Rani continued to watch as Ken and Omi interacted, not really paying attention. Rani smiled at Shayla as Omi disappeared into the garage. When he came out with his motorcycle, she couldn't help but chuckle. Omi and a motorcyle... too cute! She clambered into the sidecar, making herself comfortable. She could honestly say she had never been in a sidecar before.

Shayla giggled as Omi came out on his motocycle. She would've offered to run home while he drove Rani, but this worked too! She climbed onto the moped behind Omi, looping her arms lightly around his waist. Shayla smiled down at Rani as Omi took off towards her apartment. She called out the turns as they came up and soon enough, they were at the apartment building. Shayla squeezed Omi tightly before getting off the moped. "Thanks for the ride, Omi! I'll have her back safe and sound this evening." Shayla watched as Rani gave Omi a quick hug as she got out of the sidecar. Grabbing Rani's hand she dragged her into the building and up the elevator. Soon enough, they had reached the penthouse. Shayla opened the door and led Rani in. "Welcome to mine and Hoshi's humble abode!"

Rani couldn't help but gasp at the enormity of the apartment. "This is your place? It's so pretty!"

Shayla laughed, leading Rani into the living room. She nodded towards the couch as she went over to the bookcase next to the TV. "Technically it's Hoshi's. She told me her dad bought her this place because of... oh, I don't remember. Probably buying off guilt." Shayla grinned, successfully grabbing the DVD she had been looking for off the shelf. Popping the DVD into the DVD player, she sat on the couch next to Rani. "Now, it's time to introduce you to Mel Brooks!"

Rani settled into the couch, snuggling up to a pillow as Shayla sat. "Mel Brooks? I've heard of him, but I've never seen any of his movies." Rani smiled as the words YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN blared across the TV screen, the creepy music echoing in the background. She was able to easily fall into the humor of the film, temporarily forgetting her argument with Aya.

Aya had just about had it with himself and left the training room with a sore scalp. His sword was back in his room, religiously cleaned and fastened nicely to its shrinely stand. He trudged down the stairs, embracing gloom and questioning what wrong turn he had taken in his life while dealing with his sister. He collapsed into a kitchen chair just when Ken walked in with some girl, sent her outside, and burst into the room. But the idiot didn't seem to acknowledge Aya's existence and, instead, went right to the trashcan. He watched as the brunette pulled out the bag, set it on the floor, and then began to unceremoniously dig through it with his bare hands. "_What_are you doing, Ken?" He didn't bother softening the blow of his disgusted tones.

Ken looked up in shock—in horror—in he didn't know what else. "I-I...I'm well, just, you know...looking for something." {Just don't tell him that you're getting interviewed and that you brought her here—not if you value your life, Ken Hidaka!} "And...there's a reporter he—" Fail. "—re. She's just helping me find mail we threw out! That's all so don't ...freak...out! ...Aya?" Ken watched as the redhead stood up and walked out of the kitchen silently. There was no glare, no death threat...and then he was gone. Just. Like. That. Had Ken won his first battle with the human ice cube? Hardly.

Hoshi managed to wave quickly in farewell as Ken practically dragged her into the house. She took her bag off and rested it underneath the coat rack. She was starting to follow him further in when he whirled back at her. Apparently he needed his helmet? "Um... ok?" Hoshi smiled at him. Going back outside, she saw Shayla riding off with Omi and Rani. She went over to the motorbike, grabbing the helmet and tucking it under her arm. She came back, placing the helmet next to her bag. She heard sounds of rustling coming from somewhere and merely followed the noise. She noticed a red-haired man disappearing somewhere, but turned into what she discovered was the kitchen. She couldn't help but laugh. Ken was digging frantically through the trash. Apparently he really wanted to find that letter? She moved to stand near him, thinking about fanning his ego just the tiniest bit. Why? Because she could, of course. "Wow, such a gentleman! Digging through the grimy trash so I don't have to." She kept in a laugh, smiling down at him. "If you hand me any paper or envelopes you find, I can start sorting through them."

Nami couldn't help but laugh. Yohji was really good at making light of some things. She squeezed him a little harder. As he spoke about the strangeness of the powers, she couldn't help but be confused. Why hate what you have? Clearly there's a reason? Nami smiled. "I'll do the best I can, Yohji. Like I said, Michelle knows more than I do. I didn't understand my powers in the beginning either, but Michelle helped me to control them. She can teach you too." Nami shook her head then. "I don't know what you mean by Schwarz. Who are they?" He seemed not to respond to her question. He seemed so lost in thought for a moment that she couldn't help but be confused. She barely had time to react when he stood suddenly, grabbing at her shoulders. Her eyes wide she glanced at him in alarm. Esset? What did he mean? "ESSET? ...The 'name' doesn't sound too familiar. The 'word' esset, however..." She wriggled her way out of his grip, jumping up with a smile. "It means double 's' in German!" Slipping away, she wriggled out of her shorts and put her jeans on. "Mein Deutsch is sehr gut. Aber in der Vergangenheit, mein Deutsch war viel besser!" She then stood with her back to Yohji, taking off her tank top. In a flash, she had a bra on and a dark green tshirt. She turned back to Yohji, smiling at him as she ran her fingers through her hair to take out some tangles.

"You mean that gloomy chick?" Yohji got in before the question, massaging his temples and letting go of her shoulders to sit back down on the bed. "But yeah... well, they're just these evil guys we used to fight all the time. They all had strange abilities that they apparently obtained from ESSET. Save for one guy...Berserker, he just didn't feel pain. There was Oracle, Mastermind, Prodigy, and the one I just mentioned... And I mean like the guy with the glasses...he could see the goddamn future! Can you imagine...?" Yohji wanted to go back to sleep now...and wake up later. "We think Schwarz is dead now though." He settled back down in a lazy sprawl, legs hanging off the end of the bed, listening to her talk and then... Well, she started speaking a random language and then stripped. I mean, Yohji wasn't complaining, but... it would be nice if he knew what she was saying. "I didn't know you were bilingual. That's hot. But seriously, what did you just ask me to do to you? I need to know the specifics...so I can pleasure you to perfection."

Nami listened as Yohji talked about this 'Schwarz,' though she wondered more about ESSET. She couldn't help but laugh as he naturally assumed that she was speaking about naughty things. She went over to her dresser, grabbing a tie for her hair. Putting it up in a messy ponytail, she threw herself onto the bed near him. Crawling forward, she pecked a kiss on his lips before rolling and grabbing a pillow. She tucked it underneath her, lying on her stomach. Her legs kicked up in the air as she replied. "I did not ask you to do anything to me, you lecherous fool. I said that my German is very good but in the past it was much better. And I'm not bilingual. I'm..." She began to count on her fingers, pondering for a moment. "I'm fluent in three languages, and I dabble in four others. When you live all over the world, you pick up a lot. I'll tell you about it one day." She looked over at him, brushing some stray hair out of her eyes. "And don't call Michelle gloomy." She frowned, "She's wonderful but you can't expect her to be happy when her new power developing could kill her. Now that it's here, she should be back to normal. And while I can help you practice, she would do a much better job. But I can be there too." Nami smiled again, reaching over to play with Yohji's hair. "Can you tell me more about ESSET? Since you can't tell me about Weiss?"

"Hey, hey now don't call me a lecherous fool if you expect me to give you answers, you multilingual gypsy." He rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling, still wondering if this was really happening or just some fucked up dream. "Yeah, well, maybe I don't want that Michelle person to teach me," Yohji muttered, not bothering to hide the rejection in his gravely voice. "You see, I don't trust people and I don't trust them for a reason. She certainly hasn't given me a reason to trust her. But yeah... ESSET is an organization of evil doers that must be eradicated for reasons that we don't question. We're just the eradicators. According to our providers ESSET was destroyed in our last-last mission, but we aren't convinced because for some reason...they always come back. I think there's bigger things at work here s'why I asked if you knew it. Don't tell the guys I'm saying this, but... we—well, in that same mission, there was a ceremony being performed. I don't know anything about it and I don't think anyone does, but we walked right into it. I think maybe that is why I suddenly developed this...whatever this electric power is." Yohji flopped an arm over his eyes and lay there a moment before continuing. "It's all so complicated to explain. You should just forget about it. I'll try to letcha know if anything happens."

Ugh. Would this hell never end? Stuck in this abysmal place, cooped up with a man who may or may not ever wake up. And what was this for? For fear of losing a comrade. Pathetic. When did he get so utterly pathetic? That's what premonition will do to a person. Never again. This was the repayment of a favor... nothing more. They would be even again, if he ever woke up. A life for a life. The tall man groaned, leaning back in the comfortable office chair, his fingers moving his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. His eyes closed, he remembered that horrible day.

_It was collapsing. The temple... was going down! Suddenly killing a redhead wasn't important. Surviving was. Surviving to kill another day. He had bigger goals in life. And so he ran. He saw his pale-faced comrade go down, killed by another of those terrible assassins. But it didn't matter. None of it mattered. He had learned that everyone was indispensable. Except him, apparently. And so he went. He felt the ground begin to collapse beneath his feet, heard panting breath behind him. He glanced back to see his orange-haired comrade fleeing with him. They shared a single nod, working together to race out. He heard rumbling and realized the floor was going to crack any second. Before he had time to warn his associate, down it went. Falling into the sea was something the tall man didn't mind. Except of course, it would ruin his suit. He hit the water, gasping as he automatically came up for air. He had to swim away, and fast. He noticed Mastermind in the water beside him. Good. Nodding to each other again, they began their swim away from the rest of the collapse. But then the spectacled man heard something he did not like. The rest of the temple was falling forwards into the sea... right over them! Muttering a curse or two, he picked up the pace of his strokes. He heard a shout and glanced up to see a piece of the temple coming right for his head. Before he could react, he felt himself being shoved underwater and to the side. Struggling, he came up to see the fragment had come down. And there was no sign of his fellow anymore. Until... orange! He floated up, face down in the water. Dead? The dark-haired man swam to his friend, flipping him over. No, not dead. With a heavy groan he began the long swim to soar, this time with Mastermind on his back. When they reached the beach, it was sunset. The man called Oracle shook the unconscious man, but he did not wake. Then, it hit him. He paused, his eyes fluttering closed. A tall man, with hair as dark of night. He stood with scorn over an orange-haired form. He reached out and calmly stabbed the man in the heart before walking away._

_Returning from the vision, Oracle groaned. The Hunter would take down Mastermind if discovered in this weakened state. But... he couldn't let that happen. Mastermind had saved him, now he must return the favor. He got Mastermind to the car they had stolen and brought and began to drive. He drove until he reached Kyoto. He found the apartment complex he could and demanded to rent an apartment temporarily. He had his friend moved into one of the bedrooms. The next morning, a slew of private practice doctors came in to check on his 'brother.' They all said the same thing. It would be a matter of time to see if he would wake up from his stupor. They would just have to wait and see. And so he waited, hiding from The Hunter that soon, both of them could return to complete their project._

Fibers of consciousness brimmed in the darkness between flight and eternity. Fingers dug into the mattress, nails biting into sheets worn from too much laying. Shuddering breaths came in short gasps, echoing in ears that hadn't heard in so long. It hurt—the everything. Words...forming...thoughts...cresting. Too...much. It was like being born again and he hadn't even realized he was screaming. That was his voice? That obnoxious blast of voice that just barely blocked out all the other voices. So many voices rising together like tides dragging him under beneath a tumbling temple. Failed...it failed. They failed and fought on until the end—until... Royal blue eyes snapped open to focus on reality that clasped tighter and tighter to himself. Himself...? Who was he? Mastermind... He let out a hoarse laugh, landing a hand on his aching forehead. The laughter erupted into hysterics. So he was alive.

Brad Crawford was snapped from his thoughts by... laughter? He opened his eyes, running a hang through his messy, dark hair he rose from the chair. He left the sparsely furnished master bedroom and moved into the smaller second bedroom. His 'brother' was lying on his bed, a hand on his forehead... and he was laughing like a madman. Of course, this is how he would wake up. Crawford leaned back against the wall, arms crossed in front of his chest with a small smirk. "Schuldig, you fool. You've been sleeping way too long. We've got shit to do." His eyes glimmered with amusement as well as a small bit of relief. His friend was awake. Soon enough, they would both return to Tokyo to meet up with Hunter. And to start the end of the world.

The drive back from Shayla's place was lonely to say the least. It was quick, but it was lonely: the silence of the wheels smacking pavement—his own sighs and the silence in between. He began to wonder... since when did he need to rely on other people to keep a smile on his face? It was a painful thought and it made the rain hurt as it began to fall. Seeping into his stripped shirt in speckled dark spots, it dripped down his arms and onto the handle bars gripped tightly. "Since when did this happen?" He murmured into the sky, listening to the pitter-patter of it hitting against his helmet. He pulled into the Koneko's garage and parked in the middle of Aya's Porche and Yohji's Seven. He stared at his bike for a moment and sucked in a deep breath before going inside to study in preparation for the start of school.

Ken heard a wow behind him and nearly jumped, his hand half-dropping the bloodied bandages and half-shoving them into a random drawer. He didn't know if she saw it, but there was no way in hell he was about to ask. "Y-yeah ahahah...can't let you dirty your hands. Here's a bunch of papers." He reached in and grabbed a clump, moving it towards her to take. "Some of it might be wet from the leaves... We run a flowershop so...that's kind of why there are petals and stems in like every trashcan we own everywhere...you just can't escape." He laughed nervously again and began to piece through his share of the papers. Bill...bill...bank statement...bill...a—a check? He shoved it onto the counter. Since when did Yohji get checks in the mail? That was suspicious. And why was it in the trash? He was probably growing weed or something in an underground lair where the girl magnet was. Ken would not be surprised. His eyes caught the word soccer from a mile away (well it was actually only a few feet). "AH!" He shouted in victory, pulling it out of the refuse. "I found it!~~" He slid a hand into the same drawer where he hid the bandages and pulled out a knife to use as an envelope opener. "Dear Ken Hidaka, we have carefully analyzed the facts and results behind Kase's mysterious death and have concluded that your past statement was the truth. We are sincerely apologetic and will accept you back into the J-League if you so desire. You can contact us through his number: +81-80-4448-0666. Signed: The director." Ken finished speaking with a scary look on his face. He put the letter back down on the counter and turned his eyes onto Hoshi. Should he really do this? After killing his best friend... after—after everything? Was his dream really worth it?

Hoshi smiled and took half of the stack of papers. She had barely rifled through a few of them before Ken shouted out triumphantly that he had found it. She set aside the papers and looked at him as he opened it and read the words aloud. The expression on his face got more and more scared until he reached the end of the letter. As he raised his eyes to look at her, she couldn't but see how panicked he looked. Suddenly, the rush of writing her story just disappeared. He wasn't ready. For all she knew, he was going to change his mind. He needed to think. Smiling weakly, she went towards him and squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. "Why don't you call me tomorrow and we can set up another interview? That way you have some time to doubly think things through. See you later." She left the stunned brunette in the kitchen and headed for the door. She scooped up her bag and continued walking. She glanced at her cellphone, noticing it was still early in the afternoon. She didn't want to go back to the office, but nor was she ready to go home. She decided to just go for a long walk... maybe some shopping? Oh. Yes. Shopping. Hoshi chuckled to herself. It was about time to get some hair dye to get her hair color back.

It took Ken a moment to notice that Hoshi was leaving. Just like that? Did he screw up or something? His eyes dragged to the silverware drawer and he let out a sigh. Maybe she saw them...? What a drag. Silently, he watched her retreating form and ruffled his hair. "You really did it this time, Ken." {Note to self: never ask a girl to dig through a trashcan.}

Nami groaned, her face falling forward into the bed. SERIOUSLY? Taking a deep breath, she raised her head back up. "FINE. I will try and teach you. But you could at least try and trust Michelle a little. She was the one who sewed up your wrist at the field. You would've bled to death otherwise." She sighed, looking up at the ceiling as he talked about ESSET. She couldn't say that any of it sounded familiar. Yet his assumptions about a strange ceremony giving him his powers? It was possible. Definitely something she would have to ask Michelle about. "I know you don't have all the answers, but thanks for trying to tell me anyway." She looked over at Yohji and smiled. She was willing to just lay there in that content silence for as long as it lasted. She looked away after a minute, continuing to sway her legs back and forth. She could feel her heart fluttering and as excited as she was... it terrified her. Was it really all happening too fast? Or was it just too right?

"Really, she was the one?" Yohji perked up, staring at her with surprise evident in his eyes. He thought on that a moment, raising a hand to touch his day-old, unshaven chin. Okay. He could accept that. "Well, I _did_...punch Aya in the face..." He winced. Oh he was so tonight's dinner when he got back. "And, I mean...it's not like I did that without a reason. ...I've...made mistakes in the past. But I'm really sure on this one...even though I said that last time." He sighed, clearly frustrated with himself. Whatever. Yohji was a man that didn't learn from the past. "When will I ever learn?" He whispered to himself, voice barely audible as he recited the words on his tattoo. Sin. He'd never learn...that's why that was there; to tell the world to watch out because Yohji Kudou was walkin' in. He sighed and sat up again, ready to get the day started already. "I'll give it a shot."

_Schuldig_—he felt his body twitch, eyes prying themselves away from the ceiling and focusing dully on the figure standing over him with a wry smirk. Only one person could wear that rumpled suit and look good. "Good morning, _Crawford_." He massaged his temples and sat up, ignoring the dizzy spin of his head since it was the normal occurrence of a telepath when waking up. "How long was I out," he asked monotonously, testing out his feet on the floor. They seemed stable until he tried to stand up and nearly took out the leader of Schwarz. "Long time, huh?" He laughed again, this time sanely. Mental shields were building up, blocking out the lowering buzz of everyone's thoughts: the postman outside, the occupants next door, the policemen with lunch in the koban three blocks away... They were still in Japan. Although thoughts had no language; they had sound. If one could call it sound. The voices were in Osaka ben-the kansai dialect of a country Schuldig was not born in. He always found it hard to understand, but with thoughts...he automatically knew. Russian, Spanish, English, Portuguese; it didn't matter; he could understand it all and even know what language it was. Ah, the wonders of the mind. After so much time, prying into people's lives was like removing a pestilent beehive. It was times like these when he felt the pangs of Germany clawing at the back of his mind. Shooing it away, he refocused on Crawford, shoving all the slurs of thoughts under the rug. "What shit am I doing?" He held onto the armchair for balance and gave a crooked grin.

Crawford, eh? He smirked to himself. At least his memory was intact. And after a bit of a stumble, Schuldig even managed to get himself standing upright. He was a quick healer, this one. Crawford adjusted his glasses with a smirk. "Well, first you should probably shower. Lying in bed for weeks on end has made you stink." Crawford waved a hand back and forth in front of his face a few times with a curt laugh. He then stopped, his face turning serious. "And then we need to get back to Tokyo. I think it's about time we made it clear to a certain individual that we are, in fact, not dead." Crawford knew he should give Schuldig some more time to rest up, but he also knew that Hunter was waiting. There was always that chance that Hunter knew they weren't dead. In fact, Crawford was quite sure Hunter knew they were alive. But he felt safe thinking that Hunter did not know where they were... otherwise his vision would've come true. Yet work waited for them back at ESSET. With the old ones gone, Hunter could finally start causing real trouble. And Crawford enjoyed a little bit of trouble.

Schuldig was already halfway to the nearby bathroom before Crawford finished his sentence. It was weeks. He was dirty. Schuldig hated being dirty. He _stank_! Coming from Crawford the master of cologne, that was hardly an insult, but the waving of the hand made the German turn on his heel and shed a nasty glare. "You're making me wish I hadn't saved your ass you ungrateful—" He was silenced by the serious look that gloomed into the eyes behind glasses reeking of intellect. The bond between their minds was reconnecting...images flooding his senses. Overwhelming...overwhelming. He was under water, the sounds coming in slow motion, clawing at the surface where the light was. But he didn't seek the light. Looking down into pools of darkness, he saw a man—no, a shadow of a man, and not a silhouette in light; this was... a man whose very existence was black. This was...Hunter. He felt his lips forming the words in reality, but he was still there...watching him and— He stabbed him with a dagger and Schuldig was dying...bleeding...gone...nothingness. It was Crawford's premonition. He snapped out of it and realized that he was in a heap on the floor, cradling himself. When...? He sat up, stood up, and stepped through the doorway of the bathroom, peeking his head out. "Eye for an eye." He shut the door, but his stringy hair got caught in the hinge. Cursing, he opened it again and freed himself. "Be out in five." To Tokyo they would go.

Crawford watched Schuldig's reaction as he experienced the premonition that had shook his own senses a few weeks ago. He shuddered internally. Death was nothing new to him, especially the deaths of those around him. But for whatever reason, seeing Schuldig's death was something that rocked him. He knew that it wasn't time for Schuldig to go yet. They had too much left to do. He couldn't resist a dark laugh as Schuldig's long, orange hair got stuck in the door to the bathroom. As he heard the water start to run, he went back into his bedroom, going into the dresser. He had taken the liberty of getting Schuldig some clean clothes for when he woke up. He grabbed them from his closet, going and tossing them onto Schuldig's bed. Five minutes to shower, sure. Five minutes to get his hair "perfect"... not so much. Crawford had his own things together in a matter of moments. Considering he had the suit on his back and his wallet, it was rather simple.

"I'll be back shortly." He called out in the direction of the bathroom as he heard the shower turn off. Crawford left the simple apartment, going to find the landlord. He explained in a few short words that his brother was up and they would departing soon. He paid the final half of the amount he had promised, in cash, of course. Returning to the apartment, he called as he walked in the front door, "Ready yet, Schuldig? We can grab some food on our way to the train." Crawford stood in the entryway, arms across his chest. He knew appeared slightly impatient. But that was typical for him. He knew they still had a three and a half hour train ride. And Crawford definitely wanted to change into one his nicer (and cleaner) suits before they went off to find their boss.

The front door opened, and Schuldig half turned around while entangled in the complicated shirt that Crawford had left him. How that man managed to put on one of these contraptions everyday was beyond the German. He stared listlessly at him as he managed to find the other sleeve and then button one of the tiny little plastic things into the hole he swore was made too small just to mess with him. Growling, he turned to face his leader completely. "You did this on purpose, you bastard." Schuldig sighed and managed to complete the process of putting on a simple dress shirt before folding his arms in defiance as if saying: _see, and you thought I wouldn't be able to do it._"Are you sure you haven't acquired the ability to read minds as well?" His demeanor changed completely as he stepped closer to the man he wouldn't exactly call his friend. Blue eyes narrowed into slits that spoke multitudes and variances of otherwise hidden knowledge. His expression shifted again into a cat-grin. "Because I'm starving."

_To be continued..._


	12. Brain Fried Fried Chicken?

**Author's note**: Hey guys! This time around I wanted to make a note. In the anime, Omi never actually finds out that Persia (Shuichi Takatori) is his father. He still technically thinks that his father is Reiji Takatori and that Ouka is his half-sister when in reality, Ouka was technically his cousin. So don't let that confuse you!

{...} = thoughts

**Bold** = Typing

CAPS = English

* * *

**Chapter 11**:

Hoshi walked into her apartment as her watch beeped at her, telling her it was now 6 PM. She had spent quite a few hours wandering through Tokyo and doing some window shopping. Some of the shopping involved going into the store, as indicated by the bag she carried in her hand. She listened to Shayla and Rani laughing as Robin Hood swept in to stop Maid Marian from marrying the Sheriff of Rotthingham. "Hey ladies, Mel Brooks marathon?" Shayla waved and nodded as Hoshi turned to go into her bedroom. She dropped her laptop bag on her bed, swiftly changing out of her business outfit into some jeans and a tank top. She walked back out into the living room and threw herself into an arm chair. "Successful afternoon?"

Shayla turned away from the TV and smiled at Hoshi. "Definitely. Mel Brooks is a good pick-me-up. How did your interview go?"

Hoshi shrugged her shoulders with a frown. "Didn't happen. He finally found the letter about the league and he looked terrified. I'm not sure if he's going to change his mind. So I told him to think it over again and then call me."

Shayla nodded. "That was a nice idea. But still, I hope you can get your story."

Rani turned at this point from the movie to Hoshi and Shayla. "You're interviewing Ken about him going back to the soccer league? What for?"

Hoshi smiled at Rani. "I'm an intern in the sports department at the Tokyo Times. My boss told me if I managed to get and nail an interview with Ken, I would get an actual part-time position. Then I would move up to full-time after college is over... maybe even editor, eventually. Ken is lucky he's off the grid; he could be getting a lot more calls about this."

Rani chuckled. "Yeah, Ken is kind of out there." Her smile faded a little. "College. That sounds wonderful." Looking up, she quickly explained. "I got into a fight with my older brother about me going to college. ...I was in a coma for three years. And I want to try going to school with people my own age. But I think he's afraid something might happen to me again."

Shayla and Hoshi both looked at Rani, surprised at her circumstances. They simultaneously offered their murmurs of apology for her lost years and for the fight with her brother. Hoshi then brightened a little. "It might just be he doesn't understand a lot? If you want, you can come with me tomorrow afternoon to campus. You can talk with admissions about applying for entrance exams. You may not get in this semester but if you put the right foot forward, you should have no trouble. Besides, a little information may be helpful to winning your brother over."

Rani sat up a little straighter and a bright smile crossed her face, her first one since her fight with Aya earlier. "You know, that does sound like a good idea, Hoshi! Thank you! Maybe you can meet me at the flower shop before you go? I'm still trying to relearn the city."

Hoshi nodded with a smile and Shayla yawned and stood. "Come on, Rani. Let's get you back, ok? I don't want Omi worrying about you. Your brother either."

With a nod, Rani also stood. She waved at Hoshi, walking out the door arm in arm with Shayla. They walked quietly back to the flower shop, chatting a little about the next day. Outside, Rani gave Shayla a hug. "Thanks, Shayla. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow?"

Shayla grinned, "Maybe. I've got to do some stuff for school too. But I'll see you soon." Waving, she turned and began a leisurely walk back to her new home.

Shayla arrived back to the apartment in record time, looking only slightly out of breath. "I ran home." She said to Hoshi as she returned to the living room. "You ready to start classes again next week?"

Hoshi had not moved from the big armchair, save some sprawling on it. She looked at Shayla and laughed. "Yeah, I think so. Are you ready for classes to start tomorrow?"

Shayla groaned, throwing herself dramatically onto the couch in a 'faint.' "Noooo... I am not. But I don't have much of a choice. My Japanese is moving along and Omi might be in some of my classes maybe. I should be okay." She groaned again, standing up. She waved at Hoshi and went into her room. She immediately turned on her stereo and began the process of unpacking more things and finding all of her school items.

Hoshi laughed as Shayla's Celtic music blared from her bedroom. Yes, she was definitely going to be an interesting roommate. Hoshi went to her own bedroom, letting the door shut behind her. She unpacked her bag, putting her laptop onto her bed. She then went into her bathroom, putting the box of hair dye on the counter. Soon enough, she would be able to get her hair back.

Rani stood outside the front door for a moment, suddenly nervous. What if Aya was still mad at her? She wasn't sure if she could bear it. Her anger had left her long ago. She realized he had been so angry because she was likely a target for bad people. But she knew she couldn't hide all her life. Aya was taking far greater risks than she was. She would keep the college talk under wraps until she had all the necessary information. She walked inside and slowly headed to the kitchen. She saw Aya standing with his back to her, making tea. She smiled weakly, standing cautiously in the entrance. She took a deep breath and almost ran into the kitchen, slipping her arms around her brother. She pressed her head against his back. "I'm sorry oniisan."

Aya froze, one hand grasping the counter for support while the other one grabbed for a tea bag in the box that Yohji must have moved higher to make way for his coffee. He was shocked into motor function failure. Not only had Rani come home, but she had just apologized? Usually their fights lasted for weeks—months even. But that was when they were kids... He was speechless. His hand dropped the tea bag and he untangled himself from her, turning around to cup her face in his rough hands. "I care about you." He pulled her closer and hugged her, feeling the comfort of another person for the first time in so long. It felt maybe too rough, possibly too controlling, but he wanted her to know. And if he couldn't tell her in words... "That's why..." _I've done all this? Killed people to keep you alive?_What justice could words do now? He retrieved the tea bag and submerged it into his cup, pouring boiling water over it. Silently, he reached for another tea bag and winced. It was nearly a month since Rani woke up so...the gash along his rib cage should be completely healed by now. He let out an audible sigh, sliding the finished tea cup over to Rani and making himself the new one.

Watching the day end through his room window was a normal occurrence for the youngest member of Weiss. Sometimes Omi even saw the day start. Tonight though he would need to go to bed early; the funeral was tomorrow. He already knew there was a 75% chance that he was going to cry. His stomach growled and he pushed away from his desk, throwing homework into his side bag. School tomorrow. It was always great to miss half a day on the _first_day... He moaned and massaged his temples. Well, at least he was capable enough to finish an entire break's homework in—he looked at his watch—nine hours. It was an accomplishment. What he was worried about wasn't whether his teachers would be angry or not, but the fact that...he had never been to a funeral before. Funny, right? Well, it wasn't like he ever knew his mother...and his father, well, they were assigned to kill. His half-sister, Ouka...died in his arms. He clasped his hand around the cold door knob and lowered his head so pieces of blond hair fell over his lidded eyes. He would have liked to have gone to her funeral, but... they were on the run. This time at least... Omi could show Sakura he really cared. And to her grave he would pledge never to let someone get close enough to become a targ— Shayla. Shayla, who no longer was acting as his online distraction from homework—Shayla who...was now too close. He opened the door and walked through, about to scavenge for dinner, but suddenly...he wasn't so sure he wanted to eat.

Soccer practice was a mild distraction from Ken's epic failure. He cursed himself all the while whilst cheering his team on. Tonight's practice was a skirmish with the other all-boys team. But this team was an official club from one of the renowned chain middle schools. That was one of many reasons why the ex-goalie was determined to beat them. It was a game that the stand-in referee could barely handle as both sides relentlessly kicked the black and white ball back and forth across the fields. Ken's halfbacks were exhausted, but they were the ones that continued to hone in on the other team's side, pushing at the defenders again and again until finally they gave and the forward left wing scored a glorious goal. Ken and the other coach exchanged glares that spoke the world. And even though they were down each other's throat, they gave a nod of recognition to each other, saying yeah-I-respect-you-but-I'll-still-kick-yer-ass-into-tomorrow.

The game ended late with Ken's team beyond victorious. The coach even went so far as to give the young 18-year-old a compliment, mentioning that he didn't know how a for-fun team could ever beat one of the elite kids teams. The man didn't catch the all-knowing spark in Ken's eyes as he turned away and headed for his bike, touching his helmet that only aided in memories of the girl named Hoshi. He would call. Not just her, but the agency. He would accept. This was his life and Case would only ever want him to live it. They would meet in hell when this was all over. Ken didn't deserve it, but all well. Who was going to stop him? What greater being of judgment would reach down and uproot him from his dreams? It happened once, and as he was now, he was sure there was no way he could let it ever happen again. That was it. The decision in his mind was final and he would find a way to make it work.

Nami couldn't have asked for a better afternoon. She and Yohji had fallen into a comfortable silence for a little bit before just... talking. She asked him a bunch of silly questions, like his favorite color and movie. They had laughed together and realized just how different and yet, how alike they were. Nami's stomach rumbling had alerted them to the fact that they had talked through most of the afternoon and it was about time to eat. Nami had dragged Yohji out of bed and into the kitchen, making him help her make up some spaghetti. It had been amusing, forcing him to chop up the garlic and then sauté it in the saucepan. She had let him off the hook with the rest, tossing the spaghetti in the garlic and then in marinara sauce. After they had finished, Nami began to gather up the dishes, putting them into the sink. She sighed a little, "You probably have to go, don't you? You said you had work tomorrow." She couldn't have asked for a better day, despite all of the circumstances. But she knew that she didn't really want it to be over. Yohji had work and Nami had some work of her own to do. She didn't like the idea of not knowing when she would see him again.

"Yeah. I hate to go right after eating, but..." He trailed off and yanked out his pony tail, examining his greasy hair and wishing that he didn't have to go to a funeral tomorrow. It was such a pain in the ass, but Sakura...had helped them out a lot. Still, Yohji owed her nothing; it was all Aya. Yet... she was just a girl mixed up in an assassin group. There was a reason why Aya hadn't wanted her to get close. Yohji chewed on the band for his hair and turned back to Nami with a frown. "I have that funeral tomorrow. I have mixed feelings about it, but I have to go and I don't have a suit..." Which meant shopping... He handed her the plate he was drying and reached for another only to find there was no more. ...Guess that was it then. He smiled at her and headed for the door. "Remember, you said you'd come visit me at work tomorrow!" He waved and slipped out the door, peeking his head back in. "Kiss." He puckered his lips and waited, watching through a crack of green eyes that she couldn't resist the important Yohji Kudou 'goodbye' kiss. He exited.

Nami was surprised when Yohji abruptly left but laughed when he stuck his head back in the door, demanding a kiss. She really couldn't resist him. After giving him a kiss farewell, she went back to tidying the kitchen. Since it was practically clean already, it didn't take very long. She then went and found her cellphone, laying down on the couch. She called up her best friend, determined to figure out how she could help Yohji.

Michelle put down her third glass of wine, reaching for her phone. She had watched a movie and was now sitting outside on her porch, reading a book in the dimming light. "What's up, Nami?"

Nami smiled at the sound of her friend's voice. "Yohji just left. We talked. I found out a lot of things." She then quietly explained what she knew about Weiss, Schwarz and ESSET. She wasn't going to lie to Michelle and she knew that her friend needed to understand before she asked her next favor. "So he thinks he got his powers from a ceremony they interrupted... and I'm thinking if he got some, there's a chance his friends did too."

Michelle nodded, sighing a little bit. "There is a good chance. They'll find out soon enough. But he's having serious trouble controlling his power. We won't always be there to save him."

Nami couldn't help but laugh, "Exactly. I said you could help him practice control, but he's wary. Trust issues and stuff? I don't know. Anyway. Are there any techniques you can offer so I can get him started, at least until he wants to go to the pro?"

"I would suggest the two of you come out here by me. The woods are big, so plenty of space for him to practice. Make sure he starts small. Have him try to create the electricity first without his wires, working up the power steadily. Once he's mastered that, the wires can be reintroduced."

Nami murmured, "Mmmhmm." She took mental notes, slightly looking forward to help Yohji out. "Thanks Michelle. I promised I would go visit him at work tomorrow but I was thinking we might be able to have some girl time?"

"Of course. You want to go shoot or just hang out? Or both?"

"Both." Nami smiled. "You know me too well. I'll call you tomorrow, ok? Bye, love." She ended the call, rising. It was getting to be more towards nighttime by the minute. Having slept a good chunk of the day, she was wide awake. She decided to go take a long shower and then edit some of the prints she had taken last week. She needed to get them to the client soon.

"Goodbye, love." Michelle clicked her phone shut. Getting up, she grabbed her wine glass and book, moving inside. She went into the living room, turning on her stereo. She smiled fondly as the fourth movement to Beethoven's 9th Symphony began to blast throughout the house. She hummed and began to dance across her first floor. She couldn't help laughing as her favorite melody in the world came on. She swayed and sipped at her wine. It was times like these when the world felt whole again. She could almost feel her mother dancing with her—she could almost hear her laughter. The Ode to Joy was coming up and in that moment, Michelle realized that despite her hardships in the past and the ones she knew was coming, she would have joy. She was going to take whatever was thrown at her and make the best of it. The music was too beautiful to let her believe anything different.

The walk back sucked. Yohji saw that Ken wasn't home, that Omi was, and that Aya was by the modes of transportation and then left again. It was getting dark... He hopped in the Seven and sped off to Shibuya because he couldn't bother to walk alllll the way to the train station after walking so far from Nami's apartment. It was just too much of a hassle. Then he spent the rest of the daylight trying on one suit that he immediately purchased. It fit and that was all he cared about. Black pinstripe, shiny black shoes, and a matching neon pink tie. What? It _matched_. He picked up his car from the parking garage and drove back all in one piece, just barely...barely alive from the struggle of tying a tie.

Yohji parked next to Aya at the Koneko and shut the back garage door, heading inside. It had been...what, five hours perusing through Shibuya to actually find a suit shop? He moaned and threw open the door inside, locking in on the kitchen. Already he was craving takeout Chinese for dinner. Oh please, oh please have them not have eaten yet...

Aya heard the back door open and close, meaning that either Yohji or Ken was home and moved to the drawer to grab a— "..." The entire drawer was stuffed with bloodied bandages presumably Yohji's from his wrist. Why...were they in the silverware drawer? He stared blankly at this unethical scene before beginning to slowly remove them and stuff them where they belonged: in the trash, which was peculiarly in the middle of the floor. Hm...he would have to drink his tea without a spoon. But Rani! She would burn her fingers getting the tea bag out. He whirled around to see the playboy waltzing in.

"Hey Aya anything to—"

"Yohji. Why are _your_ bandages in the silverware drawer? Now we have to wash all the utensils including _my_chopsticks."

Yohji completely ignored the accusation for the time being due to the fact that he noticed a bruise on Aya's perfectly pallid skin. "Hey man I'm sorry for—"

"How are you going to repent this time, _Yohji_?"

"Repent for what? I'm trying to apologize for punching you in the face and you— Hey, why are there bandages in the utensil drawer?"

Aya growled under his breath and scanned the entire kitchen for other things out of place that he oddly hadn't noticed. So Yohji was not the culprit. How was that even possible? His eyes dragged back to Rani, thankful that the overgrown idiot hadn't barged in when she was apologizing. Well, there was only one option. He stuck his just washed hands into the scalding water and squeezed out his own teabag, throwing it away. He then did the same for Rani's and turned back to face Yohji with a dank expression that pretty much said keep-track-of-your-own-damn-bandages-so-things-like-this-don't-happen.

Yohji nodded sagely as if he knew exactly what that look meant, but then laughed. "You look like you're trying to use telepathy or something, man. I don't even—" There was something about being cut off today that was getting on his rather thick nerves.

"Hey guys!" Ken waved from the hallway, padding over to the conjugation in the kitchen. "What's up? I'm starving."

And then it hit him. "KEN. Were you the one that did this!" Yohji indicated to the drawer with his hand, using the same look (or something close) to that which Aya used.

Shit! Shitshitshitshit. Ken cowered, wiping sweat out of his eyes. "I have a reason!"

"What the _hell_, dude. In the utensil drawer, really?" Yohji was horrified.

"I uh...I had to find mail and a reporter was here so I didn't want her to see the blood. Oh, Yohji I found a check for you in the trash. It's right there." SAVED!

"Oh, sweet. Thanks Ken. Wonder what it's from." He reached around Rani with a kind wink and grabbed it, shoving it in his pants pocket.

Aya stared at Ken for a moment and then pointed. "Ken, wash everything in that drawer."

Ken obeyed without hesitation, grabbing at the remaining bandages and throwing them into the trash that he proceeded to kick into its proper place in the corner. He turned on the hot water, filled the sponge with too much soap and scrubbed at each and every chop stick until not an electron of contamination remained.

"What...my blood isn't _that_dirty," Yohji said as he watched Ken go at it.

"Can't be sure what you picked up at all those bars you go to."

"_Whhhaat_? You don't pick up that shit at bars...more like brothels. That's just overboard."

Aya sipped at his tea and watched. It was better than NHK at least.

"And deflating my soccer ball isn't?"

"That was three months ago!"

"Still! It was my favorite and you ran it over with your _car_!"

"You can buy those anywh—" Again!

"How can you guys have the energy to argue?" Omi muttered as he crammed himself into the small kitchen area with the rest of Weiss. "It's late...I haven't eaten. My brain is fried and I want fried chicken..."

They all stared in complete silence until Yohji spoke up with a question in his voice. "They have fried chicken at the Chinese place...?"

Rani smiled at Aya has he handed her a hot cup of tea. She quickly grew confused as Aya got very quiet. She was only more confused when Yohji returned and before she could say hello, Aya and Yohji were bickering. It only got worse as Aya put his hand in her scalding tea and the fighting escalated. Over bandages? Then Ken got home. It was... overwhelming. She began to edge her way to the entrance of the kitchen, suddenly having no wish to be in there. Ken was washing all of the silverware and they were STILL going at it. Now about a soccer ball. She sipped at her tea and had made it to the door when Omi walked in. She bumped him a little and squeaked. Apparently this was normal? She looked at Omi with huge eyes, totally lost. Then there was talk of fried chicken and... Chinese food? "You guys are too much for me." She shook her head with a strained laugh. "I'm on overload." She slid down against the wall, sitting on the floor cross-legged. Small as though the kitchen was, she had no desire to move. She just sat there and sipped her tea, attempting to straighten her thoughts out.

"You siblings are so damn alike, it's creepy." Yohji broke in after watching the blue-haired girl slide down onto the tiled kitchen floor where Aya had previously occupied only the day before. He glanced over to Ken who was also staring at her inquisitively. He could almost _see_the gears turning or maybe...not.

Ken blinked at Rani. "Overload? What, you don't like Chinese food?"

Aya nearly face-palmed, but instead busied himself with checking out the contents of the refrigerator in order to avoid another unhealthy dinner of takeout Chinese... Needless to say the garishly pink contraption was sparse beyond all logical reason. He shut it and stepped away, looking like he had seen a severed head in there instead of...well, nothing. "Whose turn is it to go food shopping?"

"Not mine, I went last week," Yohji muttered, fiddling with the phone book hanging on the wall by the receiver.

"Yeah because you forgot the milk and _I_had to go back and get it."

"_God, Ken,_ you're just _looking_for a fight today. Did you get dumped or something?"

"And we asked you to pick it up on the way back from practice anyway... How did that interview go?" Omi watched Yohji as he paged through the numbers list while hitting a sensitive chord in the brunette. Must...change...topic... "I think it's on page 26, remember, Yohji-kun?"

"No I don't remember," Yohji murmured.

"...It didn't. She said to call her when I've figured out things. And..." Ken looked at Aya sheepishly and took a deep breath. "I really think I'm going to do it, guys. I'll juggle both I swear I'll be able to handle it."

"I'm so happy for you, Ken. If it's you, I know you'll manage and we'll be here to back you up." Omi pointed at the page towards the middle and handed Yohji the phone. He could almost feel the bags under his eyes growing. Brain fried...chicken...requires...

"Break a leg, man." Yohji took the phone. "Thanks, Omz." He slapped the kid on the back and dialed.

"Whose turn is it to go food shopping?" Aya repeated, sounding aggravated.

"We can all go tomorrow after work and school. I'll have two orders of fried chicken." Omi glanced around the kitchen at everyone, communicating food with his eyes. It was now or starve.

"I'm good. I'll be upstairs. Need to find something to wear for tomorrow."

Yohji smirked. Of course, he himself was prepared for once... And he would look oh so snazzy for Nami tomorrow at work. They could always get away with saying that it was a dress-up day at the flowershop. Or...they could all change beforehand. He knew Omi had to for school, but... pain in the ass. Yohji for one was going to get his new suit all covered in flower petals, making it all the better for the girl he told about Weiss. The phone was ringing.

Aya took one last sip of his tea and put it in the sink for later, suddenly feeling the need to scale the steps and get lost in a good crime fiction novel. On his way into the family room, he swiped his copy of _Out_ by Natsuno Kirino and slid into the leather armchair. In his wake, he left but one phrase: "I'll go shopping in twenty minutes." It was a menial task—a redundant ritual practiced by all those who do not partake in the everyday addiction to fast food, takeout, or restaurant meals. He side-glared at Yohji most of all before going back to the foreword. Always liked reading these...it helped understand the author more and what the book was intended to be about—hidden meanings and darker depths of the human psyche as well as humane problems found in societal corners of the back alleys. Weiss knew this world well; that was why Aya liked reading. It was like...the book understood him and he it. They had a mutual agreement...unlike that of food shopping. Browsing the many packed, crowded aisles, careening a heavy cart around flustered housewives with banshee children. It was a battle. Aya hated it. If only he could use his sword to fight his way up through the lines at the registers—weighed down by the awkward stares at his strange hair color—the swimming silence in himself while everyone else blabbered about the latest TV drama. If he had had a gun, he would have shot someone. The better option was reading at this point... Maybe later Rani would go with him. It was nice...having someone else...there.

Rani finished off her tea, standing and putting her mug into the sink. She listened to them bicker about food shopping and Chinese food. Turning to Yohji, "Could I just have an order of chicken fried rice?" She smiled at him, noticing that Aya wasn't going to eat anything... he was going grocery shopping right away instead. He exited the kitchen and she followed after him, watching as he grabbed a book and plopped down in an armchair. She followed him into the family room, sitting down at his feet. "I want to come grocery shopping next time with you, oniisan. I haven't been in so long..." She sighed a little, leaning and resting her head against his leg. She was content to sit there in the silence with her brother, until he left to buy food and she went to eat her fried rice. She recalled them three years ago, how close they had been, although they had fought a little more. But that's normal for any young siblings. How they had both changed, Aya more so than her. Some days he truly did seem like a different person. But he was still her brother and that was enough.

Ken marched up the steps past Aya's form on the armchair. He reached his room and stood at the entrance in dismay. Maybe he should just clean out the whole place. Soccer jerseys everywhere...drawers hanging open. Some of them were even flipped upside down on the floor. His soccer lamp was covered with a bath towel from god knows when. There were cobwebs in the corners of his ceiling. He felt like a wreck—just look at his room. This was no way to live. Like...look at Aya's room. Even though Rani had taken over his bed for a while before they cleared out the guest room, it was still as pristine as ever. Sometimes Ken pictured the guy spraying his walls with bleach and scrubbing it down to the atom. Of course, that wasn't true, he knew that, but still... His room was a mess. He rolled up his sleeves. Time to get crackin'.

Some Chinese dude answered and it was all Yohji could do just to understand the first word: 'fehufh' ie hello. He sighed, trying to be jovial about the entire miscommunication thing. He calmly went about his order twice, thrice, and then he was so fucking done. "Dude, I told you... You know what, fine. I don't need the noddle things. Just get here." He hung up and sent Omi an I'm-going-to-kill-something-if-they-don't-make-it-a-rush-order look.

Omi completely disregarded said look, passing it off as the usual. He hung his head. "Maybe I should just skip the whole day of school tomorrow. It's Sakura's funeral after all. Wouldn't it be...disrespectful? I...don't really know."

"But then you won't see Shayla." Sly smirk. Nudge, nudge. Watching the small boy blush was one of the successes of Yohji's fairly decent night. The sunglasses addict grinned and strut around him to the fridge to retrieve a beer. "Want one?"

Omi scowled. "I'm underage. And..." He wiped at his cheeks as if it would somehow be rid of the scarlet tinge residing there. This was a no vacancy zone! "That's true..."

Yohji laughed, pulling out the check from his pocket and studying it. He popped the tab of his Yeager and took a long, glorious swig of the golden water. "Seems like a check from the government. _That's_sketchy. Whatever, it's 10,000 yen. I'm depositing it.

Omi nodded, at a loss of what to do. Shayla was in Japan...there wasn't a mission to plan for...he already had all his clothes laid out for tomorrow...dinner was ordered. He looked at Aya briefly and then back at Yohji who looked just about in the same state he was. The older man was trying to make conversation, however trivial. It brought a warm smile to his face. He thought about thanking him, but that would probably be weird. Instead, he came up with a different solution. "Hey, remember Borderlands?"

Emerald eyes rose quickly from the check to meet cerulean. "Oh, that game you and Ken were raving about for months? Didn't the PS3 break or something?"

"No, that was the Xbox. Wanna try playing it; it's really fun?"

Yohji shrugged, downing the rest of his beer and grabbed another one quickly. He'd need this. "Sure, why not. As long as it's on the big screen in the basement."

Crawford was glad to be back in Tokyo at last. He had taken Schuldig to get some dinner and then they had caught the next train, first class. Only the best when Brad Crawford traveled. He had coolly explained that Farfarello was gone and Nagi was missing. He had seen Farfarello die, but had no idea where Nagi was. Crawford had his own suspicions that Nagi had left to be with that girl from Schreient... Tot? It didn't matter to Crawford, but in the recesses of his mind he wished the kid well. When they arrived in Tokyo, Crawford and Schuldig headed directly for their 'home.' It was a nice hideout, each had their own private quarters. Crawford knew they would have to clear out Farf's room, but that was for another day. "I'm going to change and relax. We'll head out once night falls completely," he muttered back at Schuldig, heading off to his own room. He peeked into Nagi's as he walked, noticing that any type of personal belongings were gone. Yes, Nagi had unofficially left Schwarz. 'Dead' most likely. Fine by him. Crawford entered his room with a contented sigh. Dark and oh, so sophisticated. Just his style. He went into his bathroom, shutting the door behind him. It was time to get cleaned up. Stripping off the suit he was wearing, he turned the water on hot and gratefully stepped beneath the pulse. Ahh...

Why was he so tired? Could it be from traveling? Or could it be from being out of the game for nearly a month? So much time was lost. Crawford separated from him the moment they opened the dusty front door and entered. But even the walls kept nothing out. He was tired so the barriers were sliding down, letting trivial matters trickle in. The lady walking her dog outside forgot her purse and had no money to buy a drink—the girl skipping school wanted nothing more than lock herself in her room. Schuldig was sick of it—as if the entire time he slept all he heard were these empty jars of honey. He cracked his knuckles and wandered out of his sparse room past Nagi's empty abode with stars still glowing on the ceiling and to Farfarello's room. Oh the crazy with disconnected thoughts and strange musings. He opened the door and waltzed in. Well, the guy was dead right? He remembered feeling when his mind shut off, watching from the corner of his eye as Siberian's bugnuk pierced the fragile human neck of non-rosenkreuz. He cackled to himself, piecing through the leftovers like trash of a man who hated god.

After finishing his far-too-long-but-oh-so-perfect shower, Crawford walked back into his bedroom, a towel wrapped around his hips. He ruffled his damp hair until it was perfectly messy, like he preferred it. Going to his closet, he opened the doors to reveal... suits. Lots and lots of suits. But what else would one expect in Brad Crawford's closet? He looked to the right side, where he kept his nicer suits. He carefully selected a dark gray suit with black pinstripes, laying it out on his bed. He then found a crisp white shirt and a solid black tie, putting those on the bed as well. He changed quickly, leaving the tie and suit jacket for later. He padded out of his bedroom barefoot, the top buttons of his shirt undone. Here was the only place where Crawford felt remotely comfortable in 'dressing down.' He found Schuldig in Farfarello's room, snooping? "Really, Schuldig?" He rolled his eyes, leaning against the doorjamb, his arms crossed in front of him. "Find anything decent? I doubt it."

Schuldig looked up when Crawford was halfway down the hallway. His eyes narrowed, piecing thoughts together as they formed in his leader's mind. As soon as the man saw Schuldig, however, all those orderly things scattered in a million directions. He felt a headache coming on... Why was he so goddamn tired? "Really," the orange-haired man said before the words even fully exited Crawford's mouth. He sighed and pulled a different box over, clawing at the variance of shit inside. It was _work_ waiting for the audio while already knowing what was going to be said... He wondered sometimes if it was ever that way for the precog—that intensely dull waiting period between present and future. For him though, it was more like... between thought and voice. "Aside from random assortments of shiny things, no." He paused, turning his head just enough to set a pair of sharp eyes on his freshly showered companion. His own hair had only recently finished drying. {Add this to your to-do-list, Oracle: yellow bandanna, sunglasses, hm maybe a weapon of some sort.} Yeah, sending that was like puncturing his skull with a jackhammer. He blanched, trying to ignore the sudden onslaught of pain. {Why is this...?} Sweating, he reached into the box and was shocked to find... money? "Oh look, 10,000 yen. I _am_ lucky after all." Insert nervous laughter here. Gods, he really needed his migraine medicine about now.

Crawford rolled his eyes as Schuldig continued to sort through Farfarello's things, coming up with a nice bit of pocket change. As Schuldig's message rolled into his own mind, he sighed. Really? Crawford turned from the doorway and went into Schuldig's room. He stared at the naked room for a moment before having an "ah ha" moment. He went into Schuldig's closet, into a shoebox at the bottom of the floor. Grabbing the contents he stopped back into his own room before returning to Farf's. He tossed his finds onto Farf's bed. "Try looking in your room, yeah? I told you I bought you extra." Mother Crawford, as usual. Lying on Farf's bed was a yellow bandanna, sunglasses, a pistol and a bottle of migraine pills. "Now, come on. Get ready. We've got somewhere to be." Crawford turned away, returning to his own room. It was time to get dressed up for a night out.

Oh the taste of sweet irony. Crawford went away for a while and Schuldig already knew what the man was doing before he returned. Therefore, he continued digging, coming up with nothing really of much value. He frowned and turned back around from his place on the wooden floor to see his leader towering over him with a look of sheer success. A shoe box was dumped and tossed over on the god-hater's bed. Like a cat, Schuldig scurried over in his bare feet and crouched to examine the contents in which he already knew through waves of the mind. Somehow, seeing it in person, touching it with one's own hands meant something to the German. Thoughts could be manipulated tending on one's mental stability. He pieced through the items and turned suspiciously to the glasses-bearer. "Somehow I think you staged this." Crawford was being too good to him what with the meal and now the full bottle of migraine pills. He never kept that shit around himself... And in his closet? No, the only thing he collected there was dust and possibly various assortments of machine rifles. Hm... something was amiss.

The orange-haired man turned slowly around whilst swallowing a few of the yellow pills. Blue eyes were narrowed into cat-eyed slits. He scoured the man's mind and came up with nothing but the intention to have the meeting tonight go well. Schuldig sighed. That was the only reason he was being..._nice_...? It was a letdown. He hung his head and sighed. By the time he gathered himself enough to rejoin the land of the living, Crawford was gone. {Get ready} echoed in his head long enough for him to realize that involved leaving Farf's room and getting out of this...this sad excuse for a decent outfit.

Walking down the hallway, he heard the buzz. It only got worse and worse the closer they came to...the office. Schuldig started to feel it in his head—like a pressure—like someone squeezing his brain and running a cheese grater over it. The migraine medicine was in effect for nine hours so...something was wrong. {Mr. Hunter.} That was what Crawford was thinking with that sweat drop on the side of his face. That alone set the German on edge. What...could make Crawford look as if he were walking into a hell hole?

It was dark, just the way Mr. Hunter preferred it. The only light came from the ornate fireplace to the left of his desk. He sat in his office chair, rocking slightly. Ice clinked against crystal as he lifted a glass of fine scotch to his lips, taking a small sip. Things were finally beginning to fall into place. The power in ESSET was now securely his and things could move forward. The evil his family had been preparing for centuries would at last come to fruition through him. One or two minor troubles still remained but they were trivial. He allowed himself a dark chuckle. He listened as the grandfather clock began to strike out the hour. One... two... three... he listened to the deep chimes until eleven had rang out. As if on cue, the door to his office opened. He leaned forward, placing the glass back down. The ghost of a smile crossed his face, his dark eyes sparkling with interest. "Gentlemen. You're late."

Brad Crawford walked through the door of the office, looking pristine in his suit. He walked side by side with Schuldig as they walked through the office, both of them taking a seat in the two armchairs across from the desk. Crawford nodded slowly to the dark-haired, tall man behind the desk. "Apologies, sir. We had some complications but now that it's been cleared up, we're ready to get back to work. What's next on the agenda, Mr. Hunter?"

The moment the door opened, Schuldig's head swam. He clutched the rim of the wall with white knuckles, sucking in a sharp gasp of air. This guy...was beyond description. The fragments of thoughts... the terror—the violence beyond description...it was just beyond... Crawford nicked his shoe with his own and his eyes cleared, the cloud receding into the back of his head. They both sat down and Schuldig listened to his leader's voice in order to ground himself in reality. But the fragments kept coming in blurs and choked words. He dug his nails into his tan jeans and stared intensely at the man's wrinkled hands—at his thick gold ring that must have scarred many faces.

Negatively—it spiraled into Schuldig's mind, waving flags and blowing horns that staggered pain throughout the nerves in his brain cells. What Crawford said wasn't being taken well. The time...he had probably spent waiting for him to regain consciousness. No contact with ESSET...the loss of two of their members...the death of the Elders. Shit. Bad news. Sharpening his eyes, Schuldig pried them from their place and met the man's dark gaze head-on. Ethereal blue—foreign and speaking everything at once—never twitched as a velvet voice rose from his throat. "In our search, we have concluded that the bodies of the Elders are lost as well as the ancient ritual they attempted to perform. Two of Schwarz have been confirmed dead. We are returning on behalf of the organization." The negatively went the moment he opened his mouth and transcended into indifference—indifference was better. He was the master of lies—they leaked out of his mouth like butterflies knowing only but flight. He glanced at Crawford, feeling his mind so much clearer than the slight glimpses he got from the man sitting across from them. Crawford had already seen this—had already counted on him saving their asses. Psh it figured.

Crawford felt concern for half a second as Hunter chastised them on their tardiness. Then Schuldig spoke up, covering their tracks fluidly. Just like he knew he would. But the true test would be to see if Hunter would take the bait. It was likely that Hunter knew it was all a vicious lie. Schuldig had balls, lying to this man. Crawford was aware how terrified Schuldig always got around Hunter, although Crawford couldn't entirely understand why. Yes, he always felt a chill run down his spine in the man's presence. He knew that Hunter was no ordinary man. He couldn't be. But Crawford also respected the man. He had worked in the shadows of the Elders since Crawford was born and brought into ESSET. Hunter often considered Schuldig and Brad his best works, and did not hesitate to tell them so when they were children. But now... now he wasn't so sure. Crawford, being vain, assumed that Hunter could not move forward without Mastermind or himself. But there was that niggling thought in the back of his mind that he was terribly wrong. And so he sat in the armchair, seemingly relaxed, waiting to see how Hunter would take it.

Hunter leaned back in his chair, allowing his face to fall into the shadows. His gray eyes sparkled with amusement as he allowed himself a smirk. Ah, yes. His 'children' still feared him. Good, good. He noticed Schuldig looking down at his hands and glanced down himself. Wrinkles? Ah, yes. Hunter mentally took stock of his current appearance. He had allowed a few wrinkles to show across his body, his black hair growing silver at the temples. The face of ESSET was a middle-aged man. Aidan Hunter, in reality was quite young by the standards of his family. But it was necessary to age appropriately so humans would not grow suspicious. Schuldig coolly supplied him with the answers he desired. Interesting. Hunter could not find anything wrong with his statements... or at least anything worth beating the two young men over. He was aware the Elders were dead and the ritual they had so desperately wanted to perform had failed. He knew it would. He had, after all, told them of the ritual in the first place. How unfortunate he had left out a key part. Hunter reached forward and lifted his scotch to his lips, taking another drink. He was well aware that two of Schwarz were missing, although only one was dead. He did not mind that Nagi had run off. He knew little of the true plans anyway. His true masterpieces sat in front of him. He rested the drink onto the desk and stood, letting his tall, muscular form become clearer in the light. "In this case, better late than never is appropriate. We have work to do, gentlemen. The time approaches to unleash the evil upon the world. But first..." He leaned forward, resting his hands onto the desk. His face was eerily bathed in the flickering firelight, a wicked smile spreading across his face. "I have someone I need to kill."

A dark room, bathed in firelight. Figures moved in the room, and the faint whisper of words were spoken, although nothing cohesive could be heard. The view centered in on the tallest man in the room as he stepped into the light. "_I have someone I need to kill."_And suddenly, all that could be seen was the man's face and the terrible smile upon it.

Michelle sat up violently in her bed, a ragged scream tearing out of her throat. She could feel tears rolling down her cheeks, her breathing heavy. Her eyes quickly searched the darkness of her bedroom. Nothing. But yet... her heart would not stop pounding. Her entire form trembling, she reached blindly for her cellphone and dialed.

Nami groaned, grabbing at her phone. She had JUST fallen asleep. Figures. She hit 'answer' and mumbled, "Mphmf..." All she could hear on the other end was heavy breaths and shuddering sobs. She pulled the phone away from her ear, looking at the caller ID. She instantly rolled onto her back, her voice clear and alert. "Michelle, honey. What's wrong?"

"He's coming for me. I saw his face. Nami... I'm going to die."

_To be continued..._


	13. Boyfriends and Breaking Code

**Author's note**: D: We're not getting any reviews! Come on people that's just cruel! -punts Yohji-

{...} = thoughts

**Bold** = Typing

CAPS = Englis

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**:

The crack of dawn woke the sleeping goalie from his bundle of newly washed linens. He raised his head and stared into the distance of his now pristine room (well to his standards), and he felt very proud of himself in that moment. It was like...he accomplished something. However, his stomach growled, reminding him why he had risen so early. As he stood up in just his boxers and a tee-shirt, his alarm sounded loud and obnoxious, making him want to break it more than usual. "Shut up," he whispered to himself, fiddling with the button until it was silenced. Somehow...he could hear Yohji snoring through the walls. Wait... Ken peeked around his open door and spotted the playboy on the couch surrounded by empty beer bottles. He sighed audibly and shook his head. At least he could have gone into his damn room so they wouldn't have to tiptoe around his sorry ass. How was he ever going to make breakfast? Today was a toaster strudel day.

The book was finished, as they all were when tackled by the stoic leader of Weiss. A few hours tops a chapter book lasted against his quick gaze. Aya was sprawled out on his bed, staring at the dust on his windowsill for a while before deciding that was usually a sign to get up. The kitchen was full of food and that was more than enough motivation for him. He recalled the smiles they shared in the vegetable aisle... It was like old times—something Aya had spent years thinking he would never relive. But last night he had...when Rani had gone food shopping with him. Thinking of it now he hadn't realized he was smiling until he caught his reflection in the window glass. It vanished immediately and he turned away. What...was this—something he had spent so much time denying would ever come again...? He sighed and stood up sluggishly, heading for the bathroom to brush his teeth.

Omi was tangled in the controller having rolled over top of it in his sleep. He nearly passed out on the eldest member of Weiss in the middle of the quest. Yohji had to coax him to the couch, calling him a party-popper and whatever else—Omi didn't remember. He pulled the blanket over his head and buried himself further into the basement couch. "I don't want to go..." And he suddenly felt no regret having not gone to a funeral before. Such sad things... Were they meant to let go—to let it all out and drown in sorrow before returning to normal life? What _was_ the point of funerals? He didn't understand and right now he didn't _want_ to.

Rani awoke slowly, hearing people moving around upstairs. She wondered for a moment why everyone seemed to be up so early. Then she remembered. Sakura. She sighed heavily, going into the bathroom to take a shower once he brother had exited. She had no desire to eat breakfast. After a quick shower she disappeared back into her room to find her new formal purchase. She braided her hair in a single plait down her back and after sliding on the black tights, pulled the black dress over her head. She glanced at herself in the mirror. This was going to be tough.

Ken's breakfast was quietly finished with only the sound of the toaster permeating the morning chill. He whipped around to see if he had started Yohji, but nothing... I mean, it wasn't like he cared or anything. It wasn't like...7 AM or anything... This was when _normal _people got u— "Oh, morning, Aya."

A nod. And he went straight for the waffles, loading them in where Ken's strudels once resided and were now being devoured. Aya moved his eyes from Ken and back to what he was doing, focusing dully on the task. The funeral was only in a few hours and it took some time to get to the temple grounds. Sakura... Fleeting beauty. He jammed the handle down and met the inquiry in Ken's teal eyes.

"You're up...early..." What else was he going to say?

"Hn." Aya turned away and back to his train of thought and what he was doing. He grabbed a plate and stared as it cooked. {Cook faster.}

"I uh...um you and Sakura were close, weren't you?"

Aya wheeled around and Ken took a hesitant step backwards towards Yohji on the couch. Aya sighed then, staring at his callused hands as if they held the answer to that question somewhere beneath the practiced skin... "Yes, she was like Rani in not just looks." He raised his piercing gaze, meeting Ken head-on without hesitation. "She's done so much for us—for me. And all I can give her in return...are flowers."

Omi covered his mouth with his hands, tears nearly free-falling from his eyes as he stood in the doorway from the basement steps. Aya was right. He was being childish... Omi felt his age bare its fangs at him then... "Flowers are enough—they're enough." Omi smiled, blinking away the salt water and coming to stand beside his leader. "It would make her smile..."

"I like it when girls smile," Yohji said, leaning against the corner of the wall at a skew. He smiled his lady-killer smile and lazily drifted to the refrigerator. "Especially Sakura. She had that brighten-your-day aura about her. You don't find that everywhere." He dug through the freshly packed shelves and whisked his sunglasses over his eyes as if it would help him see better. "God, do I have a hangover up the kazoo...I'm still kind of buzzed." He seemed to give up for whatever he was looking for and took up a water bottle instead.

"You're hopeless," Omi muttered before being interjected by Ken.

"Why is it that we always end up having the weirdest conversations in the kitchen?"

"Food, duh." Yohji pried off the plastic lid and began gulping the sustenance down.

"Oh right... the kitchen is where the heart is, right? Like that book _Kitchen_ by Banana Yoshimoto or something." Ken blinked over at the older man, wondering how the hell he had learned to drink _anything_that fast.

"Uhm...I think you mean home is where the heart is...but I guess we get hungry around the same times?" Omi jumped when Aya's waffles popped up and then grabbed for a frozen bagel to toast.

"It's because we are a team," Ken said with a smile.

So many crying people...it made Omi feel like apologizing, but he managed to just nod and smile. No one recognized them. All five dressed in black (save for Yohji's tie) stood in the back unnoticed save for when they greeted Sakura's parents. Omi wanted to say _yeah, it's our fault she died; we couldn't save her._Something told Omi it wouldn't go over well. So he stayed mostly silent and they left as if they had never even been there. Smelling of incense, Omi changed back at the Koneko for school. He would see Shayla there and that was the only thing that kept him going... He just had to...keep going.

Hoshi gratefully turned off the water, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her head. She grinned at herself in her bathroom mirror. Ah, it was good to be back. She went into her bedroom, checking her email on her laptop. Soon enough she would be heading to get Rani from the flower shop and then off to the university. It was going to be a fun afternoon.

Rani didn't feel like helping in the flower shop after the funeral and luckily, none of the boys asked her. She sat in her room, changed into a nice summer dress. She was curled onto her bed, reading. She knew that Hoshi would no doubt be at the shop soon. Rani was nervous but excited at the same time. College could definitely become a reality. She would still have to win over Aya but maybe with some details it would be easier.

Shayla had had an interesting morning. Japanese school was definitely different than school in the UK. She had wowed her teachers with her Japanese but she had yet to win over some of her classmates. Well, at least the cliques remained across all countries. It was mid-day and she was taking a part of her lunch to step outside for some fresh air. She wandered, humming to herself. She came around to the front of the building and there was Omi! Walking up to the building and looking terribly sad. She ran over to him, throwing her arms around him in a quick hug. She was smiling, though her voice was quieter than normal when she spoke. "Hey, how are you holding up?"

Omi walked forlornly in through the school doors and immediately saw Shayla there. Completely taken aback, he glanced at his watch and then as if to confirm it, stared distantly at the clock hanging on the wall across the from the shoe shelves. He looked back at her smile and sighed. "It sucked. I'm trying not to let it affect me though; Sakura wouldn't want that." He took his shoes off and traded them for his school 'slippers', putting them on and continuing further inside. "So it's lunch break huh... Are you enjoying yourself so far? I can't believe you decided to transfer here... It's all I can do to keep up with schoolwork and regular work..." They entered into the main building side by side and it suddenly occurred to the boy that he hadn't brought a lunch and it appeared as if Shayla didn't have one either. Did she know what she was getting herself into? The whispers were probably already starting. He clenched his fist and let out a louder sigh this time. He wouldn't let them. Plus, if they knew she was Omi's friend then they would probably leave her alone for fear of messing with the chibi and his superior tech knowledge! Or something like that. "What class did they assign you?" Omi could just imagine the embarrassing introduction she had probably gone through this morning. He cringed.

Shayla shrugged her shoulders, smiling. "It's not too bad. Definitely different. But I'll adjust. My grandma decided shortly before she died that I should move out here. A vision or something." She shrugged her shoulders with a laugh. "I'm in... 4C?" She was hoping that Omi would be in her class, but she doubted it. She was still adjusting, like she had said. And sure some of the kids had chuckled at her unfamiliar accent and she was sure that they were saying things behind her back. But she didn't really care all that much. She would do what she wanted to do and damn those who got in her way.

Damn. Figured to put the transfer student somewhere in the middle...4C, huh... "I'm in 4A." He tapped a finger on his chin and continued down the hall beside her, looking up from his intense stare at the tiled floor. "A vision?" That was peculiar... Omi made a struggled face and stopped at the cross-ways between hallways. "Should we go up to the roof to wait out lunch and _starve_ together?" He smiled as he continued walking again, listening for any sort of refusal, but none came. They walked up some stairs and to a door that Omi pushed open into the cooling summer air. Autumn was coming... He turned to look at her as the wind played with his light, cornflower hair, tossing it to the skies. "I'm glad you're here, Shayla."

Shayla smiled, following Omi up the stairs and out onto the roof. The breeze brushed across her face and her smile broadened. She reached into the loud flower-print bag she had slung over one shoulder and pulled out a couple apples. With a chuckle, she handed one of them to Omi. "I'm glad to be here too, Omi. It's strange, but I like it." She sat down cross-legged on the roof, leaning backwards, supported by her hands. She gazed up at the white clouds. "My grandmother had the sight. Always vague but that's kind of how it works. She had a strange vision and she deciphered that I needed to leave Ireland and be here. Don't know why. But there's usually a reason behind every vision." She shrugged her shoulders, looking up at Omi with a smile. She wasn't sure how he felt about her talk of visions, but it was so engrained in Shayla's culture that she didn't feel strange talking about it at all. Especially with Omi. She felt that given enough time, she'd feel comfortable telling him anything.

Nami rolled over with a tiny groan, looking at the clock. Wow. It was midday already? Then again... she had been up super late. Nami had had a rough night. Michelle's phone call had gotten Nami to jump out of bed and drive to Michelle's house at lightning speed. She had gotten Michelle a snifter of brandy and after having her drink the burning liquid, had held her friend while she cried in fear. Michelle eventually fell back into a restless sleep, Nami lying beside her in the large bed. Nami had finally fallen asleep as well. Now she rolled over, getting out of the bed and going to the bathroom. Ah. There it was. Nami was grateful she had started leaving a toothbrush at Michelle's place. She brushed her teeth quickly, grimacing in the mirror. Her roots were definitely starting to show. Well, she would deal with that later. Going back into the bedroom, she sat down next to Michelle and shook her gently. "Sweetie, wake up."

Michelle woke up with a start, causing Nami to yelp in surprise. With a groan she sat up, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Nami." She was so on edge. She knew it would come one day. But why now? Her family was never attacked until at least their 30s. She was barely in her twenties. This was strange and it made her all the more fearful. "You need to go?" Michelle stood and went into the bathroom, coming out shortly with her toothbrush in her hand.

Nami stood with a nod. "Yeah, I need to shower and change. Plus I need to deliver some prints before I visit Yohji at work. I promised I would." She waited until Michelle finished brushing her teeth before wrapping her arms around her best friend. "As soon as I'm done with Yohji, I'll be back. I'll bring my overnight bag. Expect a new roommate for a while."

Michelle laughed raggedly, hugging her friend close. "I'm not sure how your new boyfriend would feel about that, but okay. Just give me a call before you head over. I think I might go practice some more."

Nami laughed. "I'm not even sure we've figured that out yet. Guess that's a good thing to do when I see him." Squeezing Michelle one more time, she left and drove back to her apartment. As the front door shut behind her she began stripping off her pajamas and entered the bathroom naked. She flipped the shower on and hopped in as soon as it was hot. As she enjoyed her shower, she decided that it was time for her to get her hair back to her original color. It had been awhile and she kind of missed it.

"I'm tired," Yohji complained, flopping into a chair and giving Aya a look that said can-we-please-close-early-I'm-dying-here. Of course, the redhead never seemed to pay mind to Yohji's word-filled glances. Instead, Aya continued to trim every damn plant in the entire shop. His efforts alone made Yohji want to jump off a cliff.

Aya's _own_ silence was suffocating him. For once, he found that he didn't _want_ to incessantly prune, cut, and water all the plants. He really just wanted to talk to Rani—wanted to make her _understand_why he was so protective of her to the point where it was viewed as bridging on obsessive. He didn't care; he just wanted her to process the danger she was in-the danger that was too late to get out of. Also, Sakura had been the first person Rani had seen when she woke up... That murderer had taken her away from Rani...and then the funeral today... Aya's crafting hand slipped up and chopped a flower right off. He sighed angrily and shot Yohji a why-aren't-you-helping look. But the slave to women never seemed to catch Aya's encoded looks. The redhead really just wanted to close the shop and get it over with. It was too hot out for any customers anyway.

"Hottttttt..." Ken crawled into the shop via the glass door, ignoring the obnoxious bell while spouting what the two older men were secretly thinking. "Why the hell do _I_have to move all the massive pots outside while you two laze around with the fans blowing in your faces? That's so not right."

"It's because you are the youngest, of course." Yohji stood up and meandered towards the cash register, trying to look like he had actually been doing something.

"That's bullshit. You aren't even doing anything!" Ken wiped at the gallons of sweat collected on his forehead and shot a nasty glare at the man with too much hair.

Yohji winced. Shit he had been caught. He turned around and looked at Aya who was holding a tulip and looking at it almost apologetically. He stifled a laugh and wandered towards the door. "Fine, I'll do the rest." And thus the end of the world had come forth.

Nami got out of the shower quickly, changing into some jeans and a t-shirt. She grabbed her hair dryer and ages later, her hair was finally dry. Nami then grabbed a huge duffel bag from her closet and began to stuff her clothes and bath & body supplies into it. She wasn't entirely sure if she had everything she needed or if she had too much. But it's not like she couldn't stop back at her apartment again. Humming absent-mindedly to herself, she scooped up a pile of bridal prints. She had been asked a couple weeks ago to help out with a shoot for some new bridal gowns. She shifted through them to make sure they were all there and looking pristine. Yes, the client would definitely like this. Maybe even enough that he would hire as a full time photographer, rather than a freelance. Pleased, she tucked them away in a large manila envelope. She then grabbed for one of her many cameras and throwing the bag over her shoulder, left her apartment. She went down to the lot where her car was parked and threw the duffel into the trunk. Climbing into the front of her bright yellow car, she turned on the radio and drove off to the client's office.

It was a quick trip in, dropping the prints off. The owner of the studio wasn't there but the secretary said that he would call. Content with that, she drove over to the flower shop. Parking nearby she hummed a tune to herself as she walked up, noticing that Yohji was not inside lazing around. He was moving pots around? Smiling, she pulled out her camera, crouching down. As Yohji bent his knees to pick up the pot, Nami let a breeze stir, moving his hair off his face a little. She snapped the photo, laughing as she stood. Coming closer she waited until he had moved the pot then kissed him on the cheek. "Hey there, Mr. Strong Man."

Yohji had just bent down to lift another one of the heavy suckers when suddenly...! His hair blew out from his face, obscuring his already obscured vision and causing him nearly to drop the damn thing on his defenseless feet, covered only by a pair of sandals. "Shiiiiiiiiiiiitttttt," the playboy wailed, stumbling to the front window and letting the pot fall into the strangely crooked display line. One word: Ken. Yohji let out a nasty sigh and— heard a shutter followed by Nami's voice. "Nami?" He turned toward her, brightening all around and touching his cheek where she had kissed him. "Hey there, _Witch-y Woman_~" He hoped she knew the reference. (The Eagles was one of Yohji's foreign secret pleasures). He brushed his messy hair out of eyes and lowered his shades down his nose. "Did you just take a picture of my ass?"

Ken laid his head down on what they called 'the carving table.' It was a nice, rectangular wooden table, marred with scars from knives and various other grafting tools. He touched the rough skin of it with his fingertips and stared blankly at Yohji outside through the main window. "Huuuaaaa..."

Aya threw the tulip head on the counter by the cash register and set about washing off his tools. It was a quick job, and he threw them back in the box, turned to glare at Ken.

The water stopped running and Ken turned lazily to look up at Aya.

"We're closing early."

Ken looked beyond Aya back at the window. "Oh look Nami's here."

Nami laughed and shook her head at Yohji's Eagles reference. "I already told you, not a witch." And she couldn't help but laugh again, reaching up and pushing his sunglasses back up his nose. "No, I was taking a picture of all of you. If your ass was included, it was just a bonus." She glanced behind him at the crooked line of plants. She glanced through the main window seeing Ken sprawled out at a table. She smiled and waved at him. "I'm here, like I said I would be. What should I do while you work? 'Cause I'm not helping." She giggled, wrinkling her nose.

The tall man took a step back when his sunglasses were pushed back up his nose. He frowned a little bit, trying to look insulted. "Not helping? But we're so busy we don't know what to do with ourselves!" Yohji laughed, his smile returning instantly. It was just so hard to keep a straight face with Nami around—or a sad one for that matter. It was a problem. "Come on, let's go inside for now. Then we can decide what to do with you while we bust our asses in this heat. Plus, my ass is going to be a star!"

Rani bounced down into the flower shop, looking a little more smiley than she had earlier in the day. It was just about the time Hoshi was supposed to come. She went over to Aya, giving him a quick hug before going to stand next to Ken. "Hi guys. Shop seems pretty slow today."

The door to the flower shop chimed as a young woman with dirty blonde hair walked through the door. She was in jeans and a University of Tokyo t-shirt. Seeing Ken and Rani she walked over to them, smiling. "Hey Rani, Hey Ken."

Rani looked up, confused for a minute. Then her smile brightened. "Hoshi? Wow, look at your hair!"

Hoshi laughed, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, I'm officially back to my natural color. I'm never making a bet with my friend again. You ready to go?"

"Hey Rani, yeah it's because school started up for ev...ery...one... H-Hoshi?" Ken stared in shock. What was she doing here? When did she know Rani! Just...what was going on here? He shot Aya a look who seemed to still be recovering from the random hug his sister gave him and then stared back at Hoshi. The girls were talking about her hair color. He blinked...well, it actually did look different; it wasn't...green.

Aya pushed off from the counter and wandered over to stand protectively beside his sister. Random girl he didn't know saying 'you ready to go?' usually meant bad news in his brotherly code of conduct novel. His eyes narrowed. Today was the day they should be mourning Sakura's death not—not...this. "Ready to go?" He repeated, a twinge of disapproval curling its fingers into the very seams of each enunciated syllable. Aya was _not_happy.

Hoshi turned to Ken with a small smile. "Yeah, it's me. I just dyed my hair..." She chuckled as who she assumed was Rani's brother came to stand beside her. He did not look pleased at the prospect of them leaving.

"Oh," Ken mumbled mindlessly. And it looked like things were about to get serious between Aya and Rani... He shot them a nervous look and expertly shifted his body so that he and Hoshi was somewhat separated from them and _that_part of the conversation. Now...he needed to say something and usually to girls in this case he should complement her or something, right? "It...looks nice!" He laughed, ruffling brown hair on the back of his head. {Say something else, Ken...} "So yeah, I've been thinking about soccer!" {IDIOT you ALWAYS think about soccer...} "I mean, the League, you know, and we should meet sometime to talk about it."

Rani looked up at her brother, not fazed by his annoyance. She gestured to Hoshi, "This is Hoshi, Shayla's roommate. She and I were going out for a walk around the city. She's going to show me around a little and just... girl talk." She looked up at Aya with a sad look. She was just as aware as everyone else that Sakura was gone. They had all lost a friend; Rani had lost the single girl connection in the house. She needed to branch out. "Is that okay?" She raised an eyebrow, daring her brother to argue. She didn't want to argue again with him, but this was different from going to college. This was girl time. At least, that's as far as he knew.

...Girl talk? What constituted girl talk? Aya took a moment to contemplate this strange, new discovery that exited his sister's mouth and completely confounded him. Never before had he heard such a thing uttered from her; it completely toddled him off balance. He, for once, was speechless in preventing her from going. He just saw no way to stop her and thus, stood there in shock, horror, bewilderment, and then nodded—merely nodded in reply, turning on his heel and busing himself immediately with windexing the shop windows because they were oh so filthy.

Nami rolled her eyes at Yohji before going into the shop. That man was beyond conceited. Sure, it was a little cute, but also slightly obnoxious. Ah well. There were more pros than cons with this one. She smiled at Ken and Aya as she went into the shop, but chose to stand off to one side. They were currently surrounded by two girls, immersed in a conversation. She turned back to Yohji. "I could take pictures of the flowers! Or... just sit inside on my butt and go through your stuff." She giggled a little bit.

Yohji raised his eyes and stared in disbelief at Nami. "My...stuff?" He asked, shifting his weight from foot to foot as if preparing himself to jump in front of her to prevent her path to the door. To cover it up, he put his hands on his hips and laughed. "You're crazy. Why do you have that thing anyway?" He motioned at the camera with his chin, eyeing it up and confirming with his supreme knowledge that it was indeed a very expensive one. It looked as if she knew how to use it too. It def wasn't on auto or whatever. Yohji didn't really know much about cameras, but he at least knew about focusing it, pressing the button, and making sure it was on automatic at all times. Nami wasn't doing that; she was doing MORE. He was immediately suspicious and ultimately shocked into the realization that he didn't really know all that much about Nami...

Nami chuckled as she stooped down next to some rather lovely tulips. Adjusting her lens the tiniest bit, she looked through the little peephole in the camera and... CLICK. She looked down at the screen, waiting for the picture to pop up. Content, she stood back up, moving towards some more flowers. "I'm a photographer. Freelance, mostly. But I might be getting a job doing bridal gown shoots, which would be great!" She turned back to Yohji with a smile, before going back to taking photos of all the lovely flowers.

Hoshi smiled a little, touching her own hair. "Thanks." She smiled at Ken as he continued to just blurt out about his thoughts on soccer. He just kind of said whatever he wanted without any barrier. Hoshi couldn't help but appreciate it a little bit. Better than having guys who always side-stepped issues. Ken appeared to just get right out with it, although in an unorthodox way. {This is almost refreshing.} "Sure, that sounds good. I have a little bit of a time at the end of this week. Does that work?"

"Yeah, sure," Ken blurted out, trying to smile. It was...sort of lonely...with the girls leaving, you know?

Rani watched the emotions that flickered across her brother's face in an instance. Yeah, he was definitely out of sorts with having a sister again. Especially one who had grown up. {Not that I'm used to having a far different brother than before my accident...} He just nodded curtly and went off to wash the windows. Rani's eyes trailed after him for a moment before she turned towards Ken and Hoshi. "Ready!"

Hoshi glanced at Rani with a smile. "I hate to have to barge out, but Rani and I have lots of talking and walking to do!" She smiled at Ken and took Rani's arm in her own, walked out of the shop. After Rani had stopped waving at Aya through the window and they had moved a fair distance away, Hoshi winked slyly at house. "Now then. Let's find out about getting you enrolled in college, eh?"

Omi sat down beside Shayla on the roof and found himself playing with the clouds as she talked about these strange visions. He guessed that maybe that way of thought was something integrated into Irish culture. He didn't really know much about stories like that, but he found himself paying full attention. And for some reason...it reminded him of Oracle, but... {Nah, it couldn't be.} He shook his head and smiled at her. Something else was on his mind...something more important than a vision being what brought her to Japan. "Shayla," he said, letting a softness seep into his usually hardened, intelligent eyes. "There's something I want to tell you..."

Shayla took a bite into her apple, chewing thoughtfully in the short silence that followed her words. She had half expected Omi to call her crazy, but instead he just sat there looking extremely distracted. He then turned to look at her and she noticed that he seemed... well, like something was bothering him. He had a tough shell; Shayla could recognize that. But right now it didn't seem that way. She smiled at him in return, "What is it, Omi?"

"It's just..." He trailed off, staring intently at the apple in his hand as if it would cue him in on the exact way to put what he wanted to say. A sigh came when nothing else did. Then, he looked up and quickly turned to her, putting his hands lightly on her shoulders. The look shining through his cerulean eyes was of pure admiration and beyond serious. "Go out with me! Uhm..." That didn't exactly come out how he had hoped. Save face...save face..._save face_! He smiled, trying to wipe the hard blush off his heated cheeks. "You see I've...always liked you and... now that you're here, we should...you know..."

Ooooh... oh. OH. Shayla felt her shoulders scrunch up as a smiled played across her face. Omi had just... asked her out? Wow. Oh, wow. WOW. She couldn't help it. She giggled the tiniest bit, a hand flying up to cover her mouth. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting when he said he had something to tell her. But she definitely knew she wasn't thinking THAT. And he just sat there, his hands resting on her shoulders, with a blush stealing across his positively cute face. Um. Well, she probably should say something, right? Or...? No, no. Shayla mentally shook her head. {No, should NOT do that.} Instead she took her hand away from her mouth, smiling at Omi. "I would love to, Omi."

Omi fiddled with his apple core and leaned back on his other hand. "Really...?" {Is that so surprising? Well, maybe...} He smiled to himself, trying not to stumble over the clouds that were stained into the reflection of his eyes the same color as the backdrop. "T-that's wonderful!" He exclaimed and suddenly stood up, leaving the core there in his shadow. "Yooooooooooooshaaaaaaaa!" He shouted into the wind and spun around back towards her. "I swear you won't regret it. I swear I'll make you happy, Shayla." Just then, the bell rung, nearly cutting off Omi's words. He didn't seem to notice as he bent to retrieve his trash and Shayla's hand. "Come on let's go! Can't be late for class~"

Shayla could only laugh as Omi helped her up and then dragged her inside the school building. They tossed their apple cores in a convenient trash can and Omi even walked her to her classroom. She smiled at him. "I'll see you after class, Omi." With a small flutter of her fingers she walked back into her class and sat down at her seat. The first day of school was definitely looking up!

"A photographer?" The wavy-haired man named Yohji smiled slightly. Well, that wasn't a bad profession. ...better than his. You know, killing people and all. He sighed and shot the group across the room a look. Aya was anally washing the windows. Great. That looked like a _problem_. Who would die today? He pinched his nose and tried to wish the remnants of his hangover away. One day it might work... "I hope you get it," Yohji said offhandedly, thinking about something else entirely. And here it came, "You would look fabulous in a bridal gown."

Nami had actually turned on her feet from the flowers to get a shot of Aya washing the windows. Oh, the intensity in his gaze as he washed them was just too perfect not to capture on film. She was turning back after successfully taking the picture when Yohji's comment registered. Um... what? She felt a red blush stealing up her cheeks as she slowly stood back up. She laughed nervously, "Um. Thanks." She then moved to some other budding flowers to capture them. She was grateful she had to turn away from Yohji in order to get herself under some level of control. {Why did he say that? AH!} She took a few more pictures before standing and turning with a bright smile. "So are you done working soon? Or should I start going through your stuff?" She giggled and began slowly moving in the direction of the door leading into the house.

"Not sure...we're kind of just here... Oh yeah the pots...meh." He frowned, looking through the haze of window cleaner at the sneering plants outside. "Don't feel like it. And why do you want to go through my stuff so badly? The magazines I have aren't even that _good_," Yohji complained.

"Hehehehe..." She chose not to reply as she took off at a run for the door to the house. She dived in and slammed it shut before Yohji had fully reacted. She then rushed up to his room, ignoring his shouts and pounding feet on the stairs behind her. She nose-dived from the doorway into his bed, tucking her camera safely under his pillow. She then sat up and looked around, wrinkling her nose. It was so... MESSY. She would have to clean it. Definitely.

"Fuck." Yohji dove after her, stumbling over himself, up the stairs, up more stairs, and all the way to his room between Ken and Aya's. She was there. On his bed. Everything else around her could only be described as a horrid mess of man laziness. Clothes lay strewn about, a pair of jeans hung from the fan, empty bottles of beer collected dust in the corner, dishes piled high on the dresser covered with last week's meals... Yohji's beside table's drawer lay open, filled high with the contents of condom boxes. All different kinds they were: studded, twisted, spermicide, ultrathin, and the list went on. His sheets were on the floor inside of on the bed. His dresser drawers were also all open with unfolded clothes peeking out and smelling of too much laundry detergent. Yohji grimaced, realizing that most chicks he brought here were just for one night stands and not to look at. Yeah, he lived in this. There was no time to really clean it up...and no point really...except for moments like these, which...didn't happen. He stepped over the rug, dodging stains of all sorts of beverages until he made it to the massive bed that was relatively untouched. He frowned. "Come onnnn, Namiiiiii at least let me clean up first, god." Whining was being habitual. Sonuvabitch.

Hoshi and Rani talked a little as they caught the train over to the University of Tokyo. As they arrived, Hoshi smiled, waving her hand around. "Tah dah!"

Rani was in awe. It was hard to believe that she was there on a college campus. "Oh wow, Hoshi. Do you really think I can do this?"

Hoshi laughed, looping her arm through Rani's and walking with her. "Of course you can. You're just here getting information anyway. I've got to get some textbooks for my classes. But first I can give you a basic tour." She began pointing out various buildings, letting Rani know what was where.

Somehow, walking across the neatly paved bricks of the revered college campus made him feel like a king. It also made him feel sick. As if all the stress of passing tests wasn't enough to send him into the dumps! Uruzuya Takarai sighed, digging at the tips of his bleached blond hair and rolling his dark, chestnut eyes skyward as if saying _why me_? Despite being dubbed the prince of Todai (Tokyo University), he wasn't much for liking the title. It meant girls were all over him, bothering him, pestering him, and confessing at _least_ more than once. There was only one girl he was interested in, and her name was Hoshi Zora-a girl who had previously lost a bet with him and had pridefully dyed her hair green despite his attempts to stop her. And a girl who appeared not to be interested in him _that _way. He spotted her now, talking briskly with a girl he didn't recognize. She looked like a high schooler. Could it be that she was she interested in challenging the entrance exams or something? Hm. It proved interesting. He changed his course and walked up to them with a smile more genuine than not. However, with anyone else, it was vice-versa. "Yo!" He called, raising a hand like any typical Japanese male greeting. "Been a long time, ne? You dyed you hair back."

Hoshi stopped in her conversation with Rani and looked up to see Uru in front of them. Grinning, she reached her palm up and high-fived his open hand. She then offered him a quick hug. "Hey Uru! Yeah, just dyed in back this morning."

Uru glanced at his hand that was suddenly high-fived, surprised, but rather delighted that the jester of waving had more uses than just that. He smiled despite himself and dared to reach that hand out and touch a few strands of silky hair. "I like it better this way," he cooed in a velvety voice. Uru wasn't trying. Really, don't get him wrong; he was just naturally flirtatious. It was what got him into most of his female problems; he just didn't have it in him to be outwardly impudent...

Hoshi glanced at Rani to see that she had gone somewhat pale. Hoshi wasn't sure why and then suddenly it hit. OH. She looked at Uru, nodding towards Rani. "Uru, this is Rani. She's a friend who is looking to take the placement exams. Rani, this is my friend Uru."

Rani was dumbstruck. This was the first boy outside of the guys at the flower shop that she had directly interacted with since... well... a long time. And he was SOOO CUTE. She smiled faintly and waved shyly. "Um... hi. Nice to meet you."

"Aa..." Uru said absentmindedly, listening further to note that the high school girl was in fact looking to take the entrance exams. "Aa," he said again, getting it and falling to one knee. He took Rani's hand in his, ignoring how soft it was before placing his lips lightly over it, "it is an honor to make you acquaintance, Rani-_hime_." He paused briefly, thinking as he stood up and looked back at Hoshi with soft eyes. "Are you giving her a tour?"

Hoshi felt a little uncomfortable, rolling her eyes. Uru really needed to learn to turn off that 'flirting' problem of his. And then... her eyes flared open. {Did he really just...?}

Rani couldn't really do anything but stare as Uru got down on one knee, brushed his lips across her hand and called her a PRINCESS. She looked at Hoshi in alarm, stepping away from Uru and almost behind Hoshi as soon as she could. {Ohmyohmyohmyohmyohmy.} She was ready to flee back to Aya and apologize for ever wanting to hop back into the real world. This was just too much. It really was.

Hoshi frowned at Uru. He was being his princely self, playing it up to the 'younger girl.' Except Hoshi knew that Rani was just a year younger. She nodded her head. "Sort of, yeah. Mostly just getting her to the admissions office. She has to set up an appointment so they'll let her in as soon as possible. She should technically be entering her second year but..." Hoshi shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't going to give away Rani's coma story to everyone. That was her decision. "Complications arose."

{What?} He blinked. {Did I do something wrong?} Said Princess was now half-cowering behind Hoshi as if he had burned her or something. Hmph. She didn't really seem to be used to college-like encounters... Shy type, huh? He glanced at Hoshi and folded his arms across his chest. "You don't need to do that; I can get her one now." Uru smiled, flashing pristine teeth before motioning at the school. "Maybe we should give her a tour first and see if this really is the place she wants to apply to. Todai is the most prestigious school in Japan, you know? It's nearly impossible to get into." His brown eyes were back on Rani now, his smile reassuring, trying to coax her out of hiding. If she acted like that all the time, she would face hell here.

"Start cleaning then! I can help if you want..." Nami looked at Yohji with a raised eyebrow, her eyes sparkling. She could make this room liveable really quickly. She would just have to throw everything out and start all over. But she doubted Yohji would appreciate that. So instead she chose to grab all of the condom boxes from the drawer and dumped them onto his bed. She then proceeded to empty the condom boxes until there were condom boxes and many condoms littering Yohji's bed. Casually, if she weren't handling condoms at all, she began to sort through them. She wasn't really sure how she was sorting them at this point, but mostly she was just curious. And she had a feeling it would drive Yohji crazy. Whether it would be mad-crazy or horny-crazy... well, she would have to wait and see.

Yohji paused his life and took a step back from it to observe that he was in fact conscious right now. This was no dream and Nami wasn't forcing him to clean; she was... A sheepish grin lit up his face and he was back in his body once more, arms snaked around her waist, eyes watching every movement her hands made. "You're going to help me clean...by using _all_of those?" Somehow he doubted his own conclusions as a dream come true wouldn't actually ever come true, but that wouldn't stop him from kissing her. "Either way, I still love you, Namichan~"

Nami paused, literally frozen, a glow-in-the-dark condom in her hand. First calling her perfect and now... the 'L' word? She took a moment to breathe. {Maybe Yohji is just saying it to say it. It's too soon to mean it... right?} She felt her body relax again and leaned back into Yohji. "I'm just intrigued by your selection. Gotta start somewhere, right? A clean drawer is a happy drawer." She laughed and resumed sorting out the condoms into little (okay, maybe not little) piles. "You could always start cleaning something too... or I can just do it and anything that smells foul I'll toss." She grinned, wiggling her nose.

Epic fail. {Yohji, buddy your charm doesn't quite work on her. She's not taking you seriously!} DAMMIT. He let a disappointed expression filter on his face and then stood up, heading for the door. "Sorry, I have work," he muttered half way out, stopping to turn back around. He couldn't just leave like that. After showing his feelings... 'A clean drawer is a happy drawer.' That was cute. She just didn't get it yet, that was all. He waved up a hand with a small smile to show he wasn't angry before departing.

Hoshi reached behind her, squeezing Rani's arm. "Hey, why don't you go up there, Rani? Take a look around the grounds. Uru and I will catch up in a second." As she watched Rani hurry off, she turned to Uru, a frown forming on her lips. She crossed her arms over her chest. Time to get serious for a moment. "Uru, be careful with her. She hasn't been around people, let alone MEN in a long time." She waved a hand nonchalantly through the air. "It's not my place to say what happened, but understand that walking back into society and especially walking into college is going to be tough for her." She chuckled, poking him in the chest. "So watch yourself, Prince of Todai~" Turning, she jogged for a moment to catch up to Rani, throwing an arm around her shoulders.

Rani leaned gratefully into Hoshi for a moment. "Is he always like that, Hoshi?"

Hoshi nodded as she heard Uru catching up with them. "He's just naturally charming. But he means well, I promise."

Hesitantly, Rani turned as Uru paused in front of them again. {Well, I have to make friends at some point, right?} She took a deep breath and smiled. "Um... sorry about that. I guess I'm a little skittish today. So, you mentioned a tour or something? That would be really nice."

"Aa," he nodded sagely, uncrossing his arms and trotting forward a bit in his pointy boots. "That makes sense then. Thanks for telling me." A smile. He was a bit nervous himself. He hadn't really talked like this with Hoshi in a long time... It...was more than a bit nerve-wracking. "But you know—" He turned around to find that they had caught up to Rani. Saying what he was about to say...might hurt her. He clamped his mouth shut and whistled a little tune. "Heard that the other day. It's from that new band. You guys should come see them sometime! Ne, Rani you like karaoke? Don't worry about it, kay?" Uru waved his hand in the air as if to disperse the very existence of the idea that she need to apologize at all. "Here, I'll give you a tour. Follow moi!"

Nami stared after Yohji, totally and completely confused. What the hellllllllllllllll? {Is it because I...?} Nami gave a heavy sigh, staring down at the neat piles of condoms. She tucked them all back carefully into their individual boxes before lining them up in the drawer, nonchalantly putting her "favorites" at the front. She then just sat cross-legged on the bed for a moment. So much for talking to Yohji about being her boyfriend. She ever so smoothly reached up her palm and smacked herself in the forehead. {Now what?} Nami knew she didn't have long left before she needed to go to Michelle's. She would... Nami smiled faintly to herself, shaking her head with a laugh. Raising herself up, she began to do what she did best when she felt stressed... she cleaned.

An hour later, Nami smiled. All of the dirty dishes had been removed and were now chugging along in the dishwasher. The beer bottles were in the recycling and a quick dusting had the air smelling fresh. She had washed his sheets and made his bed up. A rather large pile of dirty laundry stood in one corner, sorted into loads that could be done. She then grabbed a piece of paper from her camera bag and wrote Yohji a note, taping it onto his closed door when she finished. Bounding down the steps with her things, she came up to Yohji as he was moving the last of the pots. "I'm really sorry, Yohji. But I need to go. Call me, ok?" She grabbed at his arm and pulled him close to her, giving him a lingering kiss. Smiling, she ran off to her car.

As she drove back to Michelle's Nami thought about the note she had left Yohji and hoped that when he returned to his room, he would be pleasantly surprised and no longer angry or miffed or whatever he was.

After a wonderful kiss, they _finally_closed shop, and Omi came home, Yohji blindly guided himself alllll the way back up to the door of his room. Was that a note? Probably from Ken. Whatever. Without reading it, he kicked open the door and waltzed in. WAIT. SHIT. WHAT. He blinked and quickly turned around, slamming the door. Wrong room. God, he must be tired...

"Hey, Yohjikun, what's wrong?" Omi blinked coming up the steps, still carrying his school books. "Is there a cockroach in your room or something?" The kid snickered. Teasing Yohji came first, asking for advice about a girl came second.

"Wha...? _My_ room?" Fuck, Omi was right. That _was_ his room. WHAT HAPPENED?

_Yohji,  
You see what happens when you leave me alone? But anyway, I hope you like it. I'm sorry I had to dash off so quickly. I'm going to be staying with Michelle for a little while... she just can't be alone right now. I wish I could tell you, but it's complicated. But she did give me tips on how to train your powers, so we should meet up whenever you can to practice. So smile and I'll see you again soon.  
Love,  
Nami  
P.S. Wanna be my boyfriend?_

_To be continued..._


End file.
